The Hunger

The Conscience

"Are you ready for your session?", a voice reverberated across the empty room.

Michael was stunned by the sudden presence of someone in the room. He looked back to find Anna with a tray of medicines.

"Sorry? What session are you talking about?", Michael questioned back.

"I'm sorry, I was talking about your act that you're going to perform today.", Anna said.

"They tricked me, betrayed my trust to push me into something so grotesque. I would have never signed up for this if I knew what this is all about.", complained Michael.

"It is true that they are providing me with a life I cannot afford outside the wall. It's true that I would have starved to death, outside the wall but I don't think anyone should go through this to trade it with a luxurious life.", Michael continued.

"I know betrayal too well, and I've been there before but this is worse than betrayal, so much worse.", Michael concluded.

Anna was quietly listening to Michael.

"So, you know what betrayal is?", Anna questioned.

"Yes, I was betrayed by the love of my life. I gave her everything, whatever I could have offered but she gave that all away and left me, probably for someone else. I don't know what I could have done to avoid it. It was a choice, a choice that ruined everything. Everything we had was so perfect, but she chose to give it all away.", Michael's voice was becoming heavy.

"It's not that I don't love her anymore, I still do. I'd give away anything to see her one more time, perhaps for the last time. It'll be the happiest moment of my life, even amidst this chaos I'm in. I still miss her and everything that we had.", tears began crawling down Michael's cheeks.

"You know, sometimes betrayal is not a choice, it's about change. Change is inevitable, even for a person. There'll always be a time when people connected to you will be bored of you, not exactly you but of the person you are and the life you both lead. They'll seek the excitement that lacks in a relationship and compensate it with something or someone else.", Anna said softly.

"That doesn't always necessarily mean that they don't love you or don't care about the relationship anymore. It is our ego that comes in between and refuses to let go of the possession that we have over someone or something. It's our ego that screams the faults instead of looking at it rationally.", Anna added.

"Are you trying to justify betrayal?", Michael questioned.

"No, I'm just telling you the possibilities." Anna said sternly.

"You better take these medicines. It'll help you in the act", Anna suddenly changed the conversation.

"You better get ready. They won't wait much longer.", and with that Anna left the room.