Outside

He woke with a start. His neck was wet with sweat dispute the chill that could be felt on his forehead. His mind fell slowly into place and he delved his memory to pin-point the dream that he assumed had woken him. It was then that the noise became apparent. It sounded mechanical and close at hand but it was high-pitched and he really couldn't recognise it. He tried to establish possibilities. His mind, coming more awake, made a more accurate appraisal of the direction; not inside, most definitely outside, but what was it?

His interest was piqued but he felt mildly disturbed that he wasn't hearing a familiar sound that came from either his own house and garden or that of his neighbours. The whirling continued as his mind coolly cross-reference the possible sources of the kind of whine that sounded like something metallic rotating- a wind turbine or a microscopic engine, perhaps? The less rational part of his brain cursed his neighbours. If he found out that his precious sleep had been interrupted by their fecklessness...

No, it was no good. He would have to get out of bed and go and see. He swung his legs out onto the floor and reluctantly and impatiently forced himself out of the embrace if his duvet and lumbered to the window. He brushed the curtain to one side and was met by the most blinding beam of light which stunned him instantly.

Time up
It's interesting where your mind takes you in the middle of the night. I woke last night and had the most wild thoughts about the sounds outside my window. I thought what if these ridiculous fantasies turned out to be real. So tonight, I tried to imply just that.