A Proclamation of Ruin

Welcome to Where?

How often is it that people wake up in the strangest of situations? Not often I'd assume because if it were so prevalent then being boring is the one that should be considered unordinary. And yet... Imagine for the last score or so, you've lived a perfectly peaceful and mundane life after not the most enjoyable events in childhood but you thrived and all of the sudden you sit in a box held up by rusted chains in a dimly lit space with a humanoid man floating over you. Can you even call it a man? Jesus.

You blink once, maybe twice to see if your mind is playing any tricks but no here we are. The strange figure laughing over you, the chirping sounds from his throat turning guttural, bouncing off every plane of the wall. Elevating your heartbeat until it was the only thing left you could hear. My blood rushes in my ear as I come to decide if I am scared or not.

I don't move. If I move the chains might decide not to carry my weight and I may fall to my imminent death because what is under me greatly resembles a bottomless pit. I've pinched myself once and twice to see if I was hallucinating but no. I am in my birthday suit. In a box held up by chains linked to a nonexistent ceiling and a bottomless pit waiting to swallow me. I don't want to die. Who in great hell wants to die? We all die but this is a horrible way to die. But dear god if you're real do not let me die. Let me die after natural causes not unnatural ones. In my books this is not perceived as normal. This is unnatural. Not a natural way to die. So with that argument I shall not die. I simply can't, it's too weird. Cannot be explained. So I will live.

"You think an awful lot. Much like your mother there aren't you, little hatchling?" a voice said filled with amusement and delight. Someone is speaking. Who in God's name is speaking?

My eyes shoot up and take in the sight of the man that is not a man yet somehow a man. No arms, just wings, his face hidden in a mask and everything else on him is dark and black. Strangely standing out in the darkness of the room. Or a cave. Or whatever this place is supposed to be.

A man with no arms, just wings, floating over me.

...

HUH?

"Is it really that much of a revelation, hatchling? It is not as if it is the first you've seen something take flight and remain in the sky?" How passive-aggressive. I can be passive aggressive too.

"H-" What do I say? "On the contrary, it is my first time seeing a mutated... freak just flying up and above and speaking to me as if they were a regular person and this is just another walk in the park." And I am replying to it. I am taking this well, far too well. Why am I taking it well?

"A mutated freak? How rude. Did your Aunt not teach you any manners? Well... that would not be news to me, considering what a spectacle your mother was." My mother? What is he talking about? Does he know my mother? For one my mother was a lunatic not a freak. What? No. I shouldn't say that. Wait. No. Backtrack. Did he just insult Aunt Amettie?

"For your information, Aunt Amettie raised me very well. I have no vices, never been arrested, remained a valuable individual in our community and I am well-liked at work. People would even say I lit up the room whenever I walked in. And if I were to guess, if I get murdered that is what the people I know would say in the documentary about me." Why am I explaining myself to him? I should just shut up.

"Lit up the room? Oh you did. You do. This croissant would not be as bright as it is without you." Croissant? This is a croissant?

"A croissant? Delightful piece of bread is it?" It chuckles. From up above to directly to my face, he stared at me curiously. Strange beady eyes, myself reflecting in them. Terrified.

I look terrified. But I don't feel scared... At least... I think I'm not?

"You're Not? Well, aren't you your mother's son? A being with no fear. Well... Mortals she did fear. Mortals have caused countless things to happen, in our world and others. Such great, deep, dark desires. Most that even I, cannot begin to fantasise."