What Color Is Nothing

Herb noticed it one Sunday morning.His alarm clock was gone.So was his lamp.The ugly brown throw rug that used to be by the front door was not there any longer.That spot on the carpet where it had lain looked newer than the rest of it.

Someone had been in here while he was at his computer working on his novel.Why in heck would anyone take that nasty rug.It was ugly and his dog had wet on it besides!.The thieves must have wrapped something up in it to carry away.

His friend had given him a little ice last night and some pills.Herb thought the drugs might enhance his writing skills and stir some new creativity.He had been feeling a little down and kinda blue.He must have been so wrapped up in the sci-fi saga he was writing that he had not heard a thing.

Walking around the beige room things seemed normal enough.Herb sat in his big blue recliner and contemplated what could have happened.Where had the things disappeared to?

He must have dozed off again, for on awakening, he saw that now his front door and outer wall were gone..and as far as he could tell so was his front yard and the neighbors big green house across the way.

His bookcase full of Ray Bradbury,Stephan King and P.S. Gifford collections were gone also.There was nothing there! Nothing left of them at all.

What the hell was happening? Herb had never been so hungover! Things were disappearing right and left.The ceiling fan slowly whirled itself into nothing and the television set was slowly disappearing .

He glanced out the window into nothing just before his navy drapes disappeared and along with the bay window and his east wall.

'Wow',he thought, 'This is getting spooky.Better kick back right here in his chair and get some more shut eye and let this thing wear off.'

He knew it must be the effects of the drugs he had done last evening but ,damn,this was so real! Realer than any drugged dream he had ever had before.Not to worry,things would be normal after awhile.

Unable to sleep Herb opened his eyes and saw that there was nothing ,just nothing surrounding him and the recliner that he laid in .Grabbing the handle ,he thrust the chair upright and put both white sock covered feet on the floor.. or where the floor used to be.

His midnight blue carpet was not there and he felt nothing else beneath his feet .'This is bullshit' ,he told himself.'I`m gettin` outta here for awhile.'

Herb felt himself falling, plunging, being swallowed up and then a hissing,a merging of his soul and body into the nothingness..and then Herb was no more..