Something

A tensing,
A tensing pierces the fog of faces,
Then a pain, growing, trembling—
A shudder,
Then an easing
A backing off—
A respite.
The pain is gone,
The tension is gone,
But now there is—

Nothing.

No breath,
No heartbeat.
The eyes are open, yet
There is nothing,
A sweet stillness, but—

Nothing.

Featureless faces move in fog
Discs with handles appear
Somewhere starts a low buzzing tone, whining, rising—
Explodes!
Heaving, pounding paroxysms wrack muscles, tear tendons, break joints, but
A beep,
A feeble, faint beep, then--

Nothing.

More discs, cables, hands—Wham!
Shudders, shocks, pulsing light red violet blue green white yellow, then—
From the pale yellow fog featured faces form—beep, beep--
Beeps grow louder, steadier—there are eyes, voices, but—
The pain returns,
The tension returns,
The trembling muscles scream, but

Something.