Xɪᴛ

and his name was Judas [3]

He is brought back to that cell that now seems as high as the heavens. That light that trickled through the prison cells once mocked him, but now he rises. He grasps that light and absorbed it, not letting a single trickle of light roam free, as if a gift straight from God's mercy was willed to him. It embraces every facet of his being, empowering him. It gives him wings.

The light builds and gleams, and he is unable to contain the love within his soul. Instead, it climbs onto his back, creating something new. Wings. They rise high and strike the air, removing him from the connections of man, as he is now lifted in the cell that now cannot contain the light he emits from God.

The walls and ceiling are overwhelmed, much too potent, the energy willed from both God and Ezekiel break the walls down. As such, he looks to the heavens. Once he saw the beautiful sky that expanded out infinitely- enveloping the world in hope and joy, he grasped it and sought more. Once he saw the light, he could not ignore it.

He was awoken at once by the spark of a small candle. The light so dim- barely visible, cast a feeble glow to the dimly lit room. Its presence swayed and wavered, almost hesitant, as if unsure of its own existence-

"Finally." This voice cuts his thoughts and observations to a halt.

Looking upon , the light just barely casts an outline on the face of the man staring him down.

He kneels down to his eye level and brings the candle to his face. With his eyes now clearly visible, he stares into the bedridden man's eyes.

"You feel it, don't you?" He asks and pauses for the words to float around in the soul of the man on the bed.

The man in the bed is now lucid, he looks around, but is always brought back to the eyes of the kneeling man. He is reduced to instinct. Like muscle memory, words escape his mouth before thought can process.

"Judas." He, the man kneeling beside him, is Judas. How or why were not there. But those eyes brought him straight to the name.

"Yes," A smile paints across his face, as his name was confirmation of his theory.

"Then it is true. Ezekiel, we are intrinsically connected. Our memories lie within each other, and we are the keys to getting out."

Right. He knew that too, as if it was there within him the whole time and he never lost his very own name.

"I... you're-"

"We are the match, then!" Judas exclaims. "You are my key, Ezekiel!"

He looks around, still not used to his environment. "But.. that staircase?"

"Yes... You remember it. We were brought to that staircase at nearly the same time; I too, had neither memories nor a name, but as I entered your view, the moment our eyes met, we spoke each others names into existence. The very first bond to our pasts! It was the key to the puzzle. The brick walls around us opened and guided us to this place. Zone Z.

Ezekiel rises up and removes the sheets on his bed. He brings his hand to his eyes, rejecting the reality he lives in. "So... we're trapped, right?" "In zone Z."

Judas sits beside him on the bed and puts his hand around his shoulders.

"Listen.. our paths are tied together by fate. In that staircase, I had delusions that the walls morphed into faces. Faces I could not remember-"

Ezekiel, reminded that he, too, lived that same moment, looks to him, waiting for his answer.

"I could tell these faces were tied to me, something about them elicited this surge of guilt from my being." He begins to look into the darkness, reliving the poignant moment once again. "But... I could not remember them.. I tried so hard, but not a single memory or name sparked from those faces."