The Panopticon of Babel

So this is the first of a series of short stories that I've been writing on an off for a while now. If anyone would be interested I could post the other entries and possible continue writing.

The Panopticon of Babel:

Michael

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Echoed through my ears. With each tick I could feel my whole body shift to the left. I opened my eyes to see a dark room with cinder block walls. I sit up off of my prison cot to get a better look around. I scan the dark grey blocks of my new cell for a symbol. A very specific symbol. A symbol that will help me.

“shit,” I say under my breath. The tallies aren’t here. I stood up with my feet throbbing in pa-TICK. With a swift labour my whole cell shifted, and I, being unprepared for the new second, fell face first onto the floor. I writhed around on the ground with a small flow of crimson streaming from my nose. I had gotten too comfortable with the last cell’s seconds. 

I pinched my nostrils to stop the bleeding and breathed deeply and slowly through my mouth. I raised my off hand to my chest and felt my heart beat. One. Tw-TICK-o. Three. Fo-TICK-ur. Fi-TICK-ve. Six. Sev-TICK-en. Eight. N-TICK-in-TICK-e. Ten. Finally, another irregular second. I frantically started to look around the cell for something to etch the walls with, when I heard the clattering of a food tray being delivered behind me.

I carefully walked backwards towards the sound until I could feel the metal bars of the front of the cell at my back. I dare not turn around. I dare not be lost again. It was a miracle that I had met Abe five cells ago. He was able to save me from the insanity I suffered when I first arrived at this god forsaken place. He saved me from my endless days of raving and staring at the light from outside the cell. Were there even days in a place like this? Surely the gentle light of God did not shine here. The light that shone through these metal bars was a deception. The light was warm and pale, it was angelic, but it was all a lie. Abe had taught me how to turn away from the light, he taught me to seek truth in the shadows of my cell.

The thought of Abe reminded me that I was alone in this cell. Perfect, I wouldn’t have to deal with the screams of another mad-man while I worked. I’ve tried saving my cellmates before, like Abe did me, but that only ever made them aware of my presence and caused them to rave even louder than before. I would have to deal with no such distractions during this cell.

I sat down, resting my back on the metal bars, and placed the food tray in my lap. I was famished. The plain meal consisted of an apple, rice and beans, as well as some orange juice. The guards were never ones to put together fancy meals. Regardless, I ate the meal with gusto, shoveling rice into my mouth with my bare hands, as the ticking and shifting continued. I downed the orange juice and placed the apple on the ground, and stood up holding the metal tray. I walked a few paces deeper into my cell before turning to face the wall opposite my cot when… How?

I stood staring through the metal bars of my cell. How? I had been so careful since meeting Abe to never be beholden to this sight again. How? I even walked deeper into my cell to get away from the light. How? I even saw the toilet and sink in my periphery before I turned. How? This can’t be happening. How? The cell changed. How? I have to look away. How? Why can’t I look away. How? I need to look away. How? I can’t slip again. How? I’m going to be stuck here forever. How? How did this happen?

How…