The Face on the Wall
3–8–19, 10.17 am
I am late for work and can’t find my notepad. Searching around the house, I come across something peculiar. There is something on the wall in the living room that seems to have gone unnoticed until now.
For a moment I stand there looking, the lines in the upper left corner are intertwining to form an image that looks like a face. I am slightly amused, but then I realize I am getting late. I walk away.
4–8–19, 9.23 am
I am again standing in front of the wall. Indeed, the lines on the wall look like a human face. For a second, I think maybe my mind is playing tricks on me, but the face stares back.
Thin lines running into each other form two eyes, a shaded nose and twisted lips enclosed in an odd shape that appears as a face.
I stand there for five more minutes then I leave thinking it is crazy to stare at walls.
5–8–19, 6.18 pm
As I enter the living room, my eyes immediately search for the face. I am still thinking, How can there be a face etched on the wall? I reprimand myself for bothering about such a stupid thing.
Nevertheless, I stand in front of the wall for more than thirty minutes, my eyes travelling along the twisting lines.
7–8–19, 9.30 pm
I am flipping the pages of a book I started weeks ago. I try to concentrate on the dark words, but my mind seems restless, like a caged bird. After struggling with myself for ten long minutes, I put the book down.
My eager feet move swiftly towards their destination. I have fought this foolish urge yesterday, but today, I surrender. I find myself back in front of the wall. My eyes look straight into the eyes which appear in front of me.
Shamelessly, I stand there longer than I have stood before. I return to bed afterwards with a strange feeling accompanying me.
10–8–19, 7.45 am
I hum while preparing breakfast, feeling proud of myself. For two straight days, I have not gone near the wall. Happy at having given up my obsession, I hum a little louder.
Alas, the wall continues to entice me. Unable to understand this weird attraction, I leave my breakfast on the stove and rush towards the wall. On reaching, my mind refuses to leave. A burning smell distracts me, but I ignore it until it gets stronger. I reach the kitchen just in time to prevent a fire.
Eating the bland cereal, I vow to never look at the wall again.
10–8–19, 11.52 pm
I tried concentrating on other things today, but I am feeling a strange pull. It feels like the face is calling me. I don’t understand why I am feeling desire towards a plain old wall. Lost in thoughts, I force myself to sleep.
15–8–19, 10.02 am
I feel proud of myself for giving up my stupid habit. Five days have passed and I have not stood in front of the wall for even a minute. Maybe it was all in my mind, imagining a face on a common house wall.
Just to be sure, I decide to go and check whether the face exists. I start walking towards the wall, surprised at the eagerness of my feet.
I cannot believe it; the face is still there, it’s not an illusion. The eyes stare into mine and I refuse to leave until the phone rings.
17–8–19, 6.33 pm
I just came home and don’t feel like resting. I walk towards the wall and keep staring at the face for more than two hours. I am not proud to admit, but I have been doing this for the past two days.
19–8–19, 9.07 pm
Dinner is finished and my feet are itching to walk towards the wall, but I restrict myself. I have wasted so much of my precious time just standing in front of a wall. Feeling ashamed, I promise myself to never think of the wall again.
22–8–19, 11.39 pm
I am finding it difficult to go to sleep. Lately, I am finding it hard to concentrate on anything, be it work or other stuff. I don’t feel like doing anything. I just want to stand in front of the wall and stare at the face.
Twice I get up, my mind throwing tantrums like a small child, but I return to bed.
27–8–19, 8.12 am
I don’t feel good as I clutch the coffee cup. I have an intense headache due to my sleepless nights. I feel like taking the day off but I don’t want to stay alone at home.
I know if I stay I will have to go look at the wall.
28–7 -19, 10.27 pm
I feel exhausted, my headache is refusing to subside. An abnormal jumpiness has engulfed me. I am thinking of moving to a new apartment, but I can’t quote the reason.
I will be assumed mad when I tell people that I want to escape from a face on a wall. I try to avoid it, but sometimes I feel the bizarre eyes looking at me.
Finally, after deciding to repaint the house, I force myself to sleep.
31–8–19, 3.15 am
I cannot sleep despite the assurance that tomorrow it will be over. Tomorrow the apartment will get repainted and the face won’t bother me anymore. I sit up straight with a mysterious yearning. I must go and look at the face one last time.
My excited feet know the path. Within mere seconds, I find myself standing in front of the wall. The etched eyes pierce mine. It seems I have never touched this wall before. It feels unusual, How can there be a part of my house which I have never touched?
Slowly my fingers move towards the wall. As they come in contact with the face, I am engulfed in darkness.
1–9–19, 10.49 am
I wake up feeling dizzy, unaware of the time. I am getting late, I must get up. I try to move, but my body is behaving in a strange manner. I don’t remember what happened.
I think I am trapped somewhere, like I am behind something. I want to move this thing but where are my arms? Panic sets in and I start screaming at the top of my lungs, but even I cannot hear my voice.
Then, I see her. She smirks looking through the corner of her eyes and then walks away.
It is then to my horror that I realize, I am the face on the wall.
© Jaya V 2019
