I found his house in the woods. Of course, I didn't know it was his at the time. I was walking through the woods, I don't remember why and it isn't important to me now. It was cold and raining outside, I needed some form of shelter. That's when I came across an empty looking cottage.
The place looked like it had been abandoned for years, surely no one would mind if I stayed inside for just a few moments until the rain stopped. I inspected the inside of the cottage; the walls were decaying and peeling, the windows were boarded up, there was furniture that was in surprisingly good condition, and the smell of ash drenched the place. That's when I heard footsteps. I quickly dived under a nearby table. While I admit that this was quite an immature way to handle the situation, it was for the best.
A man wearing a dark trench coat and fedora walked in from the doorway. A long, rusty sword hung from a strap tied around his waist. He lit a candle, placed on the surface right above me. He didn't seem to notice me though. He then sat himself in a nearby chair. In the candle light, I managed to make out his facial features. The skin on his face did not seem to be skin at all, but a white cloth, yet it functioned almost identically to normal skin. A blood red smile stretched from ear to ear. His eyes appeared as only red slits. He took a deep breath, then he spoke.
'Are you happy with where you are now?' That's when I noticed the portrait hanging across from him. It was of a women. She had dark hair and blue eyes. She was beautiful. The man took another breath and continued to speak to the portrait. 'I most certainly am not happy with where I am, but that's not a bad thing. You think I find joy in what I do just because I wear a smile on my face? Well, I do not, but it is my duty to do this.' The man grew silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. This guy was crazy, I didn't want to be in his presence.
The man finally continued. 'You may never know what it's like, to permanently wear the face of a feeling that betrayed you. We both believed in happiness once, but I have learned that happiness is no more a mask than the one I wear now. The people out there need to know this, know the truth about this lie, that is why I teach them. Though my methods may be harsh, they are effective. Now I ask again, are you happy with where you are?' The man grew silent. Did he think the portrait was going to answer? After a few moments of silence, he slowly turned his eyes in my direction until we had eye contact. 'Are you?' That's when I realized he was never talking to the portrait. I answered his question:
'No.'
'Good.'
'Why?'
'You shall never know the suffering I have gone through because of this lie.'
'How is happiness a lie?'
'In the same way a parent tells a child that they'll be famous when they grow up. It is merely a mask to cover the cold truth of reality. Happiness just keeps us unprepared for the real world.'
'What made you think like this?'
'Leave.' I never got my answer, I ran out of there seconds after his response. What snapped in that man's mind? They more I think about what he had gone through and what he does, the more I stay up at night. The more I think about what he said, the more I begin to agree...
