Imprisoned

So, we've arrived once more at this hideous land. This infernal place where reality is but a sick phantasm. "Why?" I ask. "Why must I always come back?" I repeated, my voice intensifying. "Why!?" I screamed through choked tears as I pounded my fists against the cold stone walls of my cell. My hands slid down the down the wall as I fell to my knees and wept.

A dark figure appears from the shadows and speaks, "A king trapped in his own dominion. How Pathetic."

"Why?" I asked. "Why must you torment me so!?"

"Me? The dark figure gave a deep chuckle. "You just don't get it do you?"

"Answer me!" I shouted.

The dark figure stood silent for but a moment until he gestured to the darkness behind him. From the abyss the dim light of a monitor invaded the surrounding area, giving off an aura of bluish-white light.

I stood up and began to walk towards the monitor. First, past the dark figure. As I drew closer I began to see more clearly what the dark figure was. His features were human, but without skin, nor flesh of any kind. He hadn't even the faintest shard of alabaster bone, rather his body appeared to be made of pure smoke. The air around him was cold and rank with the pungent smell of decay. I had barely walked but a few steps past the dark figure when I felt the sting of icy daggers digging into my shoulder. I froze in fear, my only movement being the tremors that shook my very being. Then he spoke.

"Do not deny it when you see it...embrace it, free us."

With that he vanished into the shadows.

I don't understand. I don't understand any of it, but I continue towards the monitor anyways. If that thing is to be believed then it may be my best shot of getting out of here. I move step by step, slowly inching through darkness. I continue at this maddening pace until I finally reach the monitor.

On the screen before my very eyes is something I simply cannot believe. Images of death and gore flash on the screen. I watch as hordes of soldiers running through war torn lands clash with enemy forces. Men die by my left and right, picked off one by one. Then the screen changes. Men charge into a home and execute entire families. One child in particular watches in horror as first his father, then mother, and sister are brutally executed until finally he is spared anymore horrible images, and a bullet finds its way into his skull.

I stand there, mouth agape in absolute horror. I can't make any sense of it. This? This is freedom? Then something awakens within me. An old dark emotion that I hadn't felt in forever. I take a step back from the screen. "No...no" I start. "NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO!" I went on and on screaming into the darkness. I lay crumpled and defeated in a heap on the cold stone floor, wailing, when I see the dark figure looming over me. He stares out in the distance and says "so now you understand..." he then turns to look at me and my eyes widen in horror at his appearance. "...who you really are."

As I sit at my desk typing this out the images of those horrors are still burned into my being. I escaped. My family was so relieved to see that I had recovered from my illness. They said that I need to go to a therapist from now on until it seems that all the symptoms have disappeared, but it doesn't matter. I may be free now but I can never escape that cell I left behind. I did take something good from it though. A life lesson. Nothing is ever free, if you want something you must give something in return. I had already given twice before. For my freedom, I gave my humanity. For my peace of mind I gave my memories. I just can't take it anymore. This burden has grown to heavy for me to carry, and so now I shall strike my final deal. For an end...I give my life.