The Curse Of Temptation

The Weakening Of The Strong Heart

Did you know that not all kids are jolly and free? If no, do you think it's possible? No? Why 'no'? So are you saying that I don't exist? What do you mean by what? Did you not know that I'm not a jolly and free kid like all my friends and other normal kids? Well, I am. I am no jolly or free kid; I'm caged, imprisoned, locked, leashed. I obtain no freedom from this world. I have no escape. If ever a strip of freedom shines down upon me and I try to run to it; I am hunted down, chased and then be punished for craving. For wanting something. For seeking happiness.

I would try and escape from this abyss of darkness and leash of mine, but it always end up with the same result; I'll be chased and punished for disobeying. It's been years now, and my attempts to escape lessens, the leash on me tightens, my small cage room slowly shrinking, the locks grew in number. It grows colder and I've been shivering. My vision is becoming blurry; I can no longer see well. The beating of my heart? I can't feel it anymore. What is happening? I don't know either. What I do know is that there's this blade beside my deaf hands and all that my brain is telling me is to cut something. My eyes had a sudden urge to see red in this pitch black abyss. My nostrils crave to smell copper. My lips trembled. I licked my chapped lips and moved to grab the blade.

What am I doing? I- I'm not sure. All I really know now, is that my heart and my mind finally agreed for once. They're saying that this is happiness. I'll become happy if I do this. They were both agreeing, I should be starting now. Yet... I am hesitating. I don't know why, but there's this small voice inside of me that's telling me to stop this, that I shouldn't do this; that this isn't right.

"Why are you hesitating, child?" a deep voice asked, his voice lingered a bit longer. I stayed quiet, hands trembling and my pulse was beating fast after decades. "Do you not trust your mind?" the voice asked, it sounded louder. Was it near me? I don't know. There was a moment of silence and all I can hear was my labored breathing, so I thought that the voice left already. "...Do you not trust your heart?" the deep voice suddenly asked, making me slightly jump. I looked around the room. There was no one else here but me. I trembled in fear as I asked, "W- Who are you?" with a small voice.

There was a humorless chuckle that echoed in the room. "Who am I? Why, I am your key to freedom!" The deep voice exclaimed, and I thought that I faintly heard a pinch of malice in his voice. Yet I am not sure. I had parted my chapped lips to speak, but another voice interrupted me. This time, the voice was light-pitched and soothing to the ears.

"No! Do not listen to that, child! You are being fooled, believe me!" the second voice said. I fell silent. Being fooled? But it says that it is my key to freedom. Besides, my mind and heart seem to trust that voice. "Yes, child. Your mind and your heart trusts me, the other is a fraud. It is fooling you; I am your key, believe me!" the deep voice said. "NO! You are so cruel to this child! Leave this child alone!" the second voice cried, seeming to talk to the other voice. Suddenly, I felt that I was being enveloped into something cozy and warm. I sighed in pure ecstasy. I relaxed.

"Child get away from there! That fraud is burning you! Get away!" the second voice cried and pleaded to me. Yet the pleas were met with my deaf ears. This just felt too good. Is this finally freedom? Is this what I've been searching for, for all these years? But who was right? Never mind, whoever it was- I just don't want this to end.

But my eyes snapped open at the sound of sobbing. I looked around the small room and saw no one. I shrugged, but then I heard a weak cry, "Child... you have done wrong. I didn't... I wasn't able to save you... now, it is nearly impossible to. I am sorry, child." it was the light-pitched voice. What does it mean? I heard an evil cackle, "Hahaha! You have fallen for the trap! Now, you can never escape!" was what I heard. It was the deep voice. I gasped. I could not escape anymore?! What... what have I done...?

But after a short moment of regretting and pondering on what to do next, every thought vanished. I forgot what the the two voices were saying and my eyes traveled downwards to my hands. There was a line of red on my wrist with crimson liquid flowing out of it. It smelled like copper, and the stinging feeling it gives me is addicting. "Do it again," the deep voice suggested and I complied, deaf to the cries and pleas of the light-pitched voice. I produced another gash. And another one. After a few days, I lost count on the gashes I have obtained. I continued doing it; I simply couldn't stop... it was too addicting.

I thought it was freedom... and I was wrong, I am still imprisoned.