when you were my father

let me help you

"Any luck?"

Frustrated, I look around to my dad, who's approached me with a smirk on his face. I've been hopelessly wandering around, looking for an exit of some sort, but no luck. Just white, white and more white.

"Of course... not. I don't think there's even a way out of here."

"Bingo, you can't leave."

"But I have to be able to leave somehow, right?"

"Come with me, I can show you."

"Really, you know how? You didn't just a few minutes ago?" I raise my eyebrow in confusion, but he just continues to smile.

"I slowly learned I guess."

"Alright, I just want to get out of here, so lead me there."

"As you wish." He gestures for me to follow him, so we walk together across the white together.

He walks quickly, with determination to get somewhere. Right in front of me, but distant at the same time.

We walk, and walk and walk. He turns slightly every once and a while, but otherwise it's all a straight line.

"Where exactly are we going?" Breaking the silence, he turns around to look at me as he walks backwards.

"We're going to the exit, the doorway out of here." His voice is sharp and monotone, unlike his normal cheery and sympathetic voice.

"And what is that?"

"Don't ask questions, Kamaile."

My dad never calls me by my actual name, not even my normal nickname. His attitude isn't like this. He never snaps. "What are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not James, you're not Brian and you're definitely not my dad. What are you?"

"That's where you're wrong, I am in fact all of those people. So, just come with me and you can get out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Don't be silly, yes you are. Now come."

I shake my head violently, about to run away. As soon as I move my foot to escape, it grabs my hand. I try to shake my arm out of it's grasp, I even try the self defense move I learned in taekwondo, but it's hand won't budge.

"Let go of me."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Now come with me, or there will be consequences."

"Like what?"

It's head starts shaking violently, causing the whole body to seemingly vibrate.

FIRE

Fire everywhere, it's whole body and the area surrounding us. Everything engulfed in burning flames, except for a small circle around my feet and body. The smell of smoke fills my nose, causing a coughing attack.

"Like this,"

"What are you even trying to do?" I wheeze in between coughs, as the now devil-like creature smiles.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes,"

"YOU DON'T BELONG HERE!" It's voice bursts out, louder than anything I've ever heard. The flames enlarge by almost 100%, inching closer to my legs.

Ran into by a bus.

Punched in the gut.

Hit with a grenade.

I scream.

Everything's so much worse than last time.

It smiles and laughs at me, mocking my pain. I close my eyes, trying to block it all out but nothing works.

"Want it all to go away?" It's sinister voice sounds sweet, but deadly at the same time. "I can help you with that, just come with me."

I open my eyes to look at it, the smile painted on it's un-human face kills me inside. Unlike before the pain's still here, eating away at me slowly. "Okay... Just as long as you make it go away."

"Don't worry, everything will be over soon."

I'm flung into the air, floating for a few seconds before practically thrown across the white, fire consumed void.

I hit something hard, it feels like all of my bones are being broken. Looking up, a dark black circle appears, sparkling with deep beauty. Calling me, the pain disappears. All ability to think or feel vanishes and it feels so...

Good.

I slowly float up to it, not fighting but embracing it. Inches away from the opening, I smile, it just feels so right.