the man from Nickelodeon

So in 5th grade Nickelodeon came to our school. Everyone thought it was because Marcus's dad knew a guy who built the AggroCrag. 

but that was a lie

I convinced Nick that i had cancer with an elaborate series of letters and clandestine faxes sent from the church office when we went in early on Wednesdays. 

They must have only given the school days notice because when they showed up on Friday it was a TOTAL surprise. They told us we had a safety assembly but when we went to the cafeteria IT WAS DOUBLE DARE!

I was so excited but the Principal Ms Parker called to me 

"Josh the man from Nickelodeon wants to meet with you!" and i was taken back to the big office, Ms Parker opened the door gestured me in and closed the door.

I stared down at the carpet, its tiny salt and pepper shaped loops, the dent where the doorstop had been a lone divot in my gaze

"Hello Joshua," said t̷̖̃h̵̤̉e̵̹͝ ̶̪̄m̷͖̓a̵͑͜n̵͍̊ from Nickelodeon "You are looking v e r y h e a l t h y for such a sick sick boy"

my eyes went from the floor in a flash up to the sound of t̷̖̃h̵̤̉e̵̹͝ ̶̪̄m̷͖̓a̵͑͜n̵͍̊'s voice. Ȟ̷̼ẹ̶̓ spoke through gritted teeth, forced inside a mouth that at the last second was taught how to smile.

h̵̨̕i̴͚͒s̷̻͗ words buzzed in my ears.

H̸̱͗é̸̹ stood, h̵̲͊í̶͈s̵̹̑ profile a knife against the fabric of our world  

"oh yes such a s i c k b o y Joshua" 

and before I could take a breath h̶͚͐ë̶̯́ was standing in front of me. I can still recall the wave of heat blasting by me as i was locked, frozen by t̶̗̀h̵̝͝e̴̞̅ ̶̛̖m̷̹͗à̴̜n̶͖̂ ̶̡̐f̴̪͋r̴͕͌ȯ̴̘m̷͉̅ ̵͎̔Ņ̷́i̶̡̔c̶̙͐k̶͉̆ȅ̶͇ĺ̶̪õ̸̟d̶̟̅e̵̡̛o̴̝̎n̷͍͆

then nothing, not black, not cold, nothing

after a minute? an hour? I found myself still standing in Ms. Parkers office alone.

ţ̵̍h̷̪̽e̸͖̋ ̶̥͝m̶̖̍a̶͜͝n̵̼̊ ̷̙̏f̴͕͠r̶̤̎ò̸̭m̴̖̈ ̸͔̈́Ń̷̠í̷̗c̵͎̆k̵̰͂e̵̦͝l̴̞̆ò̶̡d̷̫̈e̵͔͂ơ̸̧n̴̨̂ was gone

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Im dreaming, but i dont think i know it yet.

All around me is blackness, infinity in every direction

the only sound is the thrum of blood in my ears

then i hear my name from the ichor

"JOSHUA" but said only above a whisper, a hint of volume from an untenable source.

"SUCH a s i c k  s i c k boy" 

I gasp, and take all the air with me.

In midst of the impossible distance a form is illuminated by a solitary light

I cant make it out but i know what it is

ţ̵̍h̷̪̽e̸͖̋ ̶̥͝m̶̖̍a̶͜͝n̵̼̊ from nickelodeon 

"How do you f e e l JOSHUA" were the words, but not from a voice, from every voice, folded in on itself and compressed into my existence

and the form advances. 

I try to move, resist, but feet have no purchase on the gloom

H̴̥͛ę̷̋ is coming, closer and closer to me. With every advance of h̷͚͌i̵̝͝ŝ̷̘ ̴̯̌ footsteps i feel the blackness close in around me.

Everything in my body tells me to run, scream, fight ANYTHING. 

"No No JOSHUA you arr s o  s o  s i c k" says ţ̵̍h̷̪̽e̸͖̋ ̶̥͝m̶̖̍a̶͜͝n̵̼̊ ̷̙̏ from Nickelodeon as h̶͚͐ë̶̯́ closes the final distance between us.

"you must g e t w e l l JOSHUA" 

and its over. just like that i wake up in my room just like every other night.