Gaslight

Poing!

"There, did you hear that?"

"Hear what? Alan, what are you talking about?"

"That noise. It sounds like some kind of electronic device."

"I didn't hear anything."

I heard it, I most definitely heard a noise coming from somewhere in the house. It sounds like some kind of warning or attention signal from something. I've checked the moisture detector under the air conditioning unit, the smoke detector, my cell phone, all the rechargeable devices that are plugged in around the house, but I've found nothing. If only it would make that noise at a steady rate I think I could find it. Unfortunately it only does it every fifteen minutes or so. I've tried to just sit and keep quiet for twenty minutes, but that is hard to do around here with two crazy dogs, three if you count Mark.

Poing!

"Mark, there it is again?" I call out. Mark has left the living room where I always hear the noise, saying he has better things to do.

"I didn't hear any goddamned noises. What the hell is wrong with you?" Mark yells back from the bedroom.

I know better. There is nothing wrong with me, my hearing isn't that bad. So I decide to get my flashlight and go around the house and re-check every electronic gadget we have.

"Mark, where's my flashlight? I've lost my flashlight. I'm always losing things, aren't I?"

"What, what are you blathering on about?"

"My flashlight. I need my flashlight to go around and check all the devices."

"You mean that flashlight, the one on the table next to you?"

Suddenly, I'm beginning to not trust my memory at all. I was sure I had looked on that table.

Poing!