Life on Standby

It could have gone badly. But the outcome was far worse than expected.

He wanted to sleep. In fact, not only did he want to, he needed to. It had been an unbearably long week. Exhausting, frustrating, and stupidly chaotic.

Endless work, swapped shifts, and unexpected tasks had thrown his routine (and his usual good mood) into complete disarray.

It’s maddening when you’re suddenly forced into overtime without warning. And it gets even worse when, in that same anarchic week, you still have personal obligations to deal with. The kind that involve tedious, soul‑draining bureaucracy.

Day after day of frantic rushing, back-to-back meetings and unavoidable appointments. The perfect horror stretched across six consecutive days, each 24‑hour span swelling and multiplying in proportion to the fatigue it caused.

Time dragged, days stretched endlessly, while nights vanished in a blink. In all this disorder, this daily pandemonium, there was no room for pauses, no chance to slow down. Everything unfolded at a dizzying pace, without interruption. Only exhaustion remained, exhaustion that hinted at mental burnout, now joined by an unexpected and crippling backache.

Life has a way of piling things on, doesn’t it? Because apparently, trouble never comes alone.

So, for all these reasons, he just wanted to rest. Simple as that. Close his eyes and finally enjoy his one day off before another equally demanding week began.

Rest. Nothing more.

But no.

The universe loves its pranks, as if chasing likes and subs with useless jokes no one asked for. That’s life: disaster gets the hype, misfortune trends.

So the moment he finally closed his eyes, already past midnight, the noise began outside. Shouts, laughter, singing — a barrage of sounds that reached him like the roars of some malicious horde, unwanted orcs and goblins.

And so, like any good hero, he didn’t put on a cape but slipped on his slippers, face set, ready to confront the nocturnal villains. Like other secret vigilantes, he hid his identity and his powers. His master had always warned him to use them only when strictly necessary (which this was).

Et voilà, it all happened in an instant! In the blink of an eye, silence fell. Everyone outside froze, motionless. It was one of his many talents: pausing the existence of others. Not ending their lives, mind you! He simply forced them into a temporary pause. They kept breathing, conscious, aware... but unable to move or make a sound.

Life on standby.

He climbed back upstairs, returned to bed. At last, the moment of his well‑earned rest had arrived. He sighed, let himself unwind, releasing a breath just before closing his eyes.

That’s when he heard the sirens, the rush of vehicles pulling up outside.

“Damn.”