The Laptop

It was the fifth time that morning that I found myself with my hand outstretched towards the living room door handle. Each time a feeling of foreboding overpowered me and I had retreated..There was something in that room that terrified me, left me feeling weak and trembling, a sentiment of impending doom invaded my very being. How could I find the strength to open that door and yet I knew that at some time I was going to have to enter the room. I stood there in the hallway breathing deeply trying to stop the shivers that were running down my spine. With a sudden resolve I clutched the handle and slowly turned it. Opening the door I could see the object of my terror. There it sat on the coffee table exuding menace. Glistening silver in the sunlight which streamed through the window mocking my fear,daring me to touch it. There seemed to be a certain malevolance which invaded the room and I was sure it would invade me if I succombed to it's calling. I cautiously circled the table eyeing the object of my panic.

Close up it looked innocent but I knew the power that was waiting to be unleashed. Could I control it or would it control me. My hands were shaking as I opened the lid,how smooth and sleek it felt, demanding to be carressed and coveted. I felt an almost overwhelming desire to flee the room before it was too late. I steadied myself and took another deep breath, there inside the lid was a piece of paper. It had my husband's handwriting on it, was he involved in this too. Could he have let me down at this crucial moment. I had to gather my thoughts. I sat down in an armchair and surveyed again the silver dream machine. Could it really help me achieve my ambitions or was it a poison chalice which would leave me impotent, powerless and locked in my archaic world forever.

It drew me to it with an unbelievable power. I looked again at the piece of paper. My husband had written some instructions followed by a single sentence.

"WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY"

I followed the instuctions as fate had ordained I would and there on the screen appeared the following words:

WRITING.COM THE ONLINE WRITING AND READING COMMUNITY!

I had made it, no longer ARCHAIC but a part of the internet world and I was still in one piece.