Psychological Moment

 

(This week I wanted to do a short story. We all have those dark days, months, years. I purposely did not name the character so don't think that I was just being lazy. This is loosely based on people suffering from split personality's. Don't be afraid to live with whatever difficulties you may have because we are all a little touched in the head....Yeah Crazy people!!!! But seriously where would our world be without variety.)   

It was another day in the mundane streets I often walked but lately I had found that theses streets often changed before my eyes. But on I would trudge, what did it matter for things are bound to change this reality did not disturb me for I lived away from the hustle and bustle, these monthly trip were now only an occasional annoyance. The cool weather nipping at my exposed member’s soon I would be safe, safe and wrapped in the comforts of my secluded cabin in the woods. All would be well, all would be safe from the unsettling attitudes around me they would be gone and I would be alone…..

 He stood watching a heavy snow tumble down from the sky. He had just beat it from trapping him in the hell of town. It would lay to rest beneath the bare outstretched arms of the trees surrounding his fortress. But as he stood looking out into the blackness a swarm of memories or visions began to consume his consciousness with waves of exhaustion overtaking him, he collapses in a sleep upon his hardwood floors. As he slumbered quietly the snow tucked the cabin in peace and silence.

 As the dawn approached the steady output of smoke from the chimney was now only a whisper as the house began to chill the sun’s rays fingered the floors in search of his closed lids cringing in pain he awakened cold and stiff and upon the floor. Confused and cold he looked about him for solace. All was as it should be, so why did he fill fear? Speaking to empty cabin “Surely a fire will lighten the mood and release me from this fear.” As he continued to think on what might have happened last night he could find no answer. More like he had no memories before he has felt the waves of exhaustion that had overtaken him. As he walked out still in thought and dressed in clothes from the night before. He looked to the sensible shoes as if they might bring to the front the justification as to his monk like existence he lead. As he reached for the stacks of wood he felt a tingle of awareness as he looked to a set of footsteps leading away from the house. Straightening he walked cautiously forward all the while praying that when he looked back they would be his own. When he did he felt his heart plummet for he only owned two pair of shoes and none he owned made these prints. He asked the trees that stood guard “Who do could these be?  Should I follow them?” Despite his fear he traversed forward following behind the prints as he continued on he could see no entry tracks this worried him more for the person leading him had been there since the snow had fallen. Almost as if he had no control he found his feet speeding towards the unknown destination. The farther away from his safety he felt a fear so deep and raw as to turn his stomach. Despite the pangs of wanting to leave off from going forward, he could gain no control over his own limbs anymore. Now running he founds his mouth was open as he strained his vocal cords releasing an agonized scream.  The only thing he still controlled his voice. On the peak of insanity he found he was in a clearing standing before a hole in the ground as if preparing for someone’s casket. As he looked around he soon found himself surrounded by five figures an old woman, child, teenager and young woman and at the head of the hole stood a haggard mirror image of himself his eyes dark from lack of sleep. Trying to step away he felt his caged state, he asked the images

“Who are you?” they answered together,
“We are part of you.”
“What do you want?”
 The old woman voiced first “I want grandchildren”
 The child “I want a friend”
 The teenager “freedom from this hell”
 The young woman “to feel love” and then as if all had led up to him answering himself the unshaven reflection said his voice echoing of the trees “I want to live.”

Confusion strangling him head throbbing “What do you mean?” and in combined voices they answered “We want to live!” the clearing filled with each story that demanded to be heard but all he could continue to ask is “who are you?” Finally as if having lost all patience the haggard twin came forward and stepped on the crying man’s throat preventing his gasps of breath as he had collapsed to the ground his body offering no protection to its own life. The mirror image came closer bringing forth all the other shadows smothering him. They whispered in unison but each expressing the rage and fury that possessed them “We protected you, We gave you life, but you have hidden us away and stolen our lives not allowing us to be free.” Their mouths opened each releasing a hollow scream of despair then saying in a frighteningly calm voice “We want to live, so you have to die. The shadows of life reached forward dragging him to the open grave as he screamed and thrashed his nails grasping at the ground only to be thrown to the bottom. Looking up at their smiling faces as they covered him in dirt he could see his body now stood above him grinning and laughing. Once all was silent the clearing seemed to brighten the stolen body turned to its counterparts “It is done now shall we live?” he stood looking down at the stone that lay as a marker for the deceased soul as the shadowed figures faded away. The freshly turned dirt hid nothing, but within the soil perhaps in the very atoms it held a crying whimpering helpless man, praying for rescue from his mind for he had been locked away for all eternity.

END (obviously)