Meiosis

Josf sat on his sofa, staring blankly at the TV. His mind was a whirlpool of confusion and paranoia. He decided to leave his flat again, this time determined to uncover the truth behind the strange behavior of the people in his town.

He put on a disguise-a large hat, sunglasses, and a fake mustache-and stepped out cautiously. The town was bustling as usual, but the moment Josf appeared, the same eerie expressions followed him. People’s smiles grew wider, their eyes bulging with unnerving enthusiasm.

He approached a street vendor selling flowers and tried to strike up a conversation. The vendor's smile widened grotesquely, and he leaned closer. “You look like someone who’s seen too much, friend,” he said in a voice that was too smooth, almost mechanical. Josf’s heart raced. He needed answers, but it seemed like everyone had a pre-programmed response.

Josf decided to visit the town’s library, hoping for some quiet and perhaps a clue. The library was eerily silent except for the rustling of pages. He walked down the aisles, noticing that the books had strange, nonsensical titles like “The Art of Smiling Uncontrollably” and “Whispers of the Unseen.”

He picked up a book titled “Understanding the Ununderstandable” and began flipping through it. The text was gibberish, filled with absurd diagrams and nonsensical advice. Frustrated, Josf slammed the book shut, causing a loud echo in the silent library. Heads turned, and the librarians gave him the same unnerving grin.

In his desperation, Josf decided to visit the local psychologist, hoping to find some rational explanation for the bizarre phenomena. He entered the psychologist’s office, where the psychologist greeted him with a fixed, wide smile.

“Welcome, Josf. I’ve been expecting you,” the psychologist said, gesturing to a chair. “Let’s talk about your recent experiences.”

Josf sat down, trying to explain his situation. As he spoke, he noticed that the psychologist’s smile never wavered, and the room seemed to distort, shifting in odd ways. The psychologist’s responses were cryptic and nonsensical, offering no real help or insight.

“I see,” the psychologist said finally. “You’re grappling with the boundaries of reality and perception. Sometimes, the mind creates its own reality, and it’s up to us to navigate it.”

Josf felt a pang of despair. The psychologist’s words were as confusing as everything else. As he left the office, he realized that the town had become a maze of distorted reality, where everyone was trapped in their own absurd roles.

“This product will make your belly shiny and hairless with the added benefit of abs that will make you popular with the ladies. Click the red button to quickly reserve a spot in the queue. We’ll be back with more products, so stay tuned-”

Josf jolted awake, falling off the sofa. He quickly turned off the TV, which was ranting about nonsensical products. He sighed and sank back onto the sofa. After being fired from his five-figure job and dumped by his girlfriend on the same day, Josf was frustrated and angry at the world. Who gets fired for not distinguishing between an Americano and an espresso through a white cup? And dumped because he wears his pants backward for extra space?

The world seemed more ridiculous than when he was a child, wearing a diaper on his head because he thought he’d be a future bike racer. He hadn’t left the house in days, fearing that the entire town knew about his situation and was laughing at him. His bimbo stepmom couldn't keep her mouth shut, even with all the cash his father stuffed in her mouth to keep her around.

“Knock, knock,” frantic sounds came from the door. The pizza delivery guy had arrived. After starving for two days on just drinks, Josf decided he needed to feed himself before his stepmom started picking out his grave spot.

“One large margherita with mustard?”

“Yes.”

As Josf took the pizza from the delivery guy, he noticed something unsettling. Under the black mask, the delivery guy seemed to be grinning widely, as if he had something creepy to say. Josf, curious, reached for the mask but stopped himself as the guy turned away and left.

Maybe Josf was just paranoid after watching multiple horror films in memory of his girlfriend. He shook his head and flopped back onto the sofa, switching to a random channel. Just as he started to relax, he heard thumping music from the other side of his flat wall. Frustrated, he dropped the pizza slice and went to knock on the neighbor's door

The door opened to reveal a burly man with an emotionless expression. As he saw Josf, his whole face changed. His eyes bulged, and he grinned ear to ear. Suddenly, everyone in the room behind him turned their heads, mirroring the same creepy expression. Terrified, Josf fled back to his flat and locked the door

The paranoia grew. He quickly closed all his windows and balcony doors. He tried doing some yoga to calm his mind. Why were they all showing the same creepy expression? Was it because of the incident? Were they laughing at him for getting dumped, fired, and soon to be kicked out of his flat?

Josf went to the bathroom to freshen up and eventually calmed down. He crashed back on the sofa and turned on the TV. Flipping through channels, he landed on a local news station. There was an interview about a school fire. As the interviewer appeared, their expression changed to the same wide-eyed grin Josf had seen earlier

“Shit, she’s heard about the incident too?” Josf thought. “That’s why she’s looking at me like that!”

He quickly turned off the TV, finished the pizza, and promised himself the paranoia would be gone by morning. He went to sleep, hoping for a better day.

The next day was sunny, and Josf had almost forgotten about yesterday’s events. But as he approached the kitchen, he saw a pile of dishes that needed cleaning. He decided to tackle them to clear his mind. While arranging the dishes, one plate slipped and smashed on the ground. In his haste to clean up, a shard pierced his wrist.

“Damn it! Why, why, why?” he murmured as he rushed to the bathroom sink to clean the wound. He searched for bandages but realized he never bought any. What a mess!

Angry with himself, he burst out of his flat and ran to the nearest hospital. But inside, everyone had the same grinning look. Panic set in as someone grabbed him and strapped him to a bed.

“Help! HELP! Someone help me, please!” Josf shouted, but the hospital staff only shushed him with unsettling calm. Summoning all his remaining strength, he broke free from his bindings and fled back to his flat. To his surprise, when he checked his wrist, it was smooth and unblemished. Was the injury even real, or had he imagined it?

Confused and frightened, Josf decided to call his father for support.

“Hello?”
“Dad, what’s going on?”
“What do you mean, son?”
“Everyone is staring at me.”
“Of course, they will look at you. You have a handsome face for sure.”

“No, I mean they’re staring at me creepily and whispering to each other.”
“Oh, son, gotta go.”
“Hey, no-” The call cut off.
Josf stared at his phone in disbelief. Couldn’t his father be there for him even once?

Desperate for a solution, Josf decided to visit the town’s mayor, hoping for an authoritative explanation. He entered the mayor’s grand office, where the mayor sat behind a massive desk, grinning widely.

“Ah, Josf! How delightful to see you!” the mayor exclaimed.

“What can I do for you today?”

Josf took a deep breath. “I need to understand what’s happening in this town. Why is everyone behaving so strangely? Why do they all have the same creepy smile?”

The mayor’s smile grew even wider. “Oh, Josf, you’re discovering the truth. This town is a reflection of our collective fears and absurdities. We’ve all been caught in a loop of our own making, where reality bends to our expectations and anxieties.”

Josf felt a sense of hopelessness. The mayor’s explanation was as absurd as everything else. He realized that he might never find a concrete answer. The town was a bizarre, surreal place where normality had broken down, and everyone was trapped in their own form of absurdity

As Josf left the mayor’s office, he noticed that the sun was setting, casting long shadows over the town. The people continued to smile and whisper, their expressions a constant reminder of the absurdity of his situation. Josf walked through the town, trying to make peace with the surreal reality he found himself in.

To fit in with the people around him, Josf spent hours in front of his mirror, meticulously studying and mimicking the smiles and gestures of those he observed. He practiced the subtle nuances of their expressions, determined to blend seamlessly into his new environment. After feeling a semblance of confidence, he finally decided to step outside and experience the world beyond his reflection.

He began by visiting a local café, a place bustling with the hum of everyday conversations and the clinking of coffee cups. At first, he felt like an outsider, his nerves on edge as he took in the lively scene. But as he settled into a corner, he made a conscious effort to put his practice into action. He greeted the barista with the practiced smile he had perfected, and to his relief, received a warm response in return.

As he spent more time in public, Josf found that the simple act of smiling became a source of solace. He noticed that the more he smiled, the more natural it felt, even when the corners of his mouth ached from the effort. His smile evolved into a gesture of genuine warmth and politeness, something that seemed to resonate with those around him.

The townspeople began to respond positively to his ever-present smile. It became a familiar and comforting sight, a symbol of friendliness in the community. Josf's initial anxiety melted away as he observed the ripple effect of his actions-people seemed a bit brighter, conversations flowed more easily, and there was an undeniable sense of collective happiness.

In the end, Josf's journey of fitting in was not just about blending with the crowd but about contributing to a shared sense of joy. His wide, unwavering smile had become more than just a gesture; it was a small but significant way of making the world a little brighter for everyone he encountered. And for Josf, that sense of making a difference was all that truly mattered.