Compulsion

Read the opening

Compulsion · Opening excerpt

06:00. Get up. Get moving. Get up.

Carl flung back his covers. He swung his legs to the floor.

Get moving. Slippers on.

His feet found them and he stood.

06:01. Go now. Get moving.

Into his master bath he went. Straight to the toilet to do his business.

06:04. Shower. Shower time. Start shower.

He flushed his waste and started the shower. He disrobed as the water heated up.

06:05. Get in. Hurry. Get in.

Stepping into the shower, he went through his routine.

Hair. Shampoo for hair. Face. Wash face. Arms. Left and now right.

And so on, working quickly from top to bottom, rinsing himself as he went.

06:10. Conserve water. Feet clean. Rinse. Out. Conserve water. Get out.

He shut the water off before the eleventh minute could tick. He could feel the clock in his head. He could feel the seconds pushing him forward, each task more important. Each moment heavier than the last.

Dry off. Dry off, head to feet. Dry off. Dry.

Towel on rack. On rack. On rack.

06:12. Groom. Time to groom.

He stepped in front of his mirror. It did not have time to fog. He combed his hair and his short beard. His beard was such a time saver.

06: 15. Dress. Must get dressed. Must be dressed. Dress.

Comb down, he stepped into his closet. He donned his Monday suit, just as grey and bland as his Tuesday and Wednesday suits. His Monday tie in the Monday shade of blue.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard his wife, Jenny, moving about her routine. Hers was ten minutes behind his. No war for the bathroom space.

06:23. Kids. Breakfast. Move now. Kids and Breakfast. Kids. Breakfast.

He stepped into the hallway to find his children on schedule. Laura, seven, and Carl Jr., five. Prepared for the day. They were in their breakfast routine. They made it to the stairs in the correct order. Everything as scheduled. Laura first because her room was closest to the stairs. CJ second. Carl followed them down. Each step in time with the others’.

Breakfast was fortified cereal. Real-Cow brand milk. Infused orange juice. The chewing was methodical. Twenty chomps and swallow. Twenty and swallow. Drink. Jenny joined them. Twenty chomps and swallow. Twenty and swallow. Drink.

06:43. Dishes in sink. In sink. The dishes in the sink. Put the dishes…

Laura moved first. Then CJ. And Carl. They stacked their dishes for the cleaning service. Jenny was finishing her meal when the family lined up to kiss her cheek before the day began. In order. Always in order. Carl, last in line, kissed his wife on the lips, timing it so that she had swallowed but had not yet begun drinking. This contact was important between spouses. It was built into the routine.

06:45. Wave to kids. Tell them you love them. Tell them you love them. Wave and say-

“Bye guys. I love you,” Carl said and waved as they headed in the opposite direction.

“Love you, too,” they replied in unison, Laura taking her little brother’s hand and leading him away.