There was nothing but darkness. Black darkness that prevented any kind of life. I couldn't see my body, nor could I move it. Was I breathing? Was I even alive?
No.
This had to be the end.
What had I done? Who was I? I suppose none of that mattered. I was here, and here was nothing.
Time was nonexistent. The only thing in the darkness for me were my own thoughts. What a cruel form of punishment; to be alone with your own thoughts for all of eternity.
But perhaps, the punishment suited the crime.
I couldn't tell how long I was stuck here, until I realized, if my mind is the only strong thing left about me, why not use it to my advantage? I was once able to dream. Dream of better places and situations. Perhaps I could try it here.
Maybe I thought for seconds, maybe for eons, but eventually, it worked. Inside the darkness came a faint light. Nothing more than a fire-fly's glow. It became brighter as it moved towards me, but I could not move to touch it or bring it to me faster. It became brighter and brighter until it stopped right in front of me. Using every ounce of will power left, i reached out and cusped the light in my hands.
It was warm. I could feel.
A clang sound to my left. I looked and spotted a cage. No, a lantern.
A very small, dark figure sat in the corner. Shivering. Whimpering. Crying. It was then I could feel the pulsing of the light like a heart beat. My heart beat.
I reached out my arms and placed the warm light in the lantern for this figure. Now my hands were cold but my chest, my body, were warm.
I was the dark figure. My soul was the light. The last bit of soul I had. But I knew what I had become. I was darkness. I would always be the darkness.
My dreaming had worked, but what does it mean? Why would my soul be inside a lantern? What greater purpose was I to serve?
Keeping the lantern in hand, I stood and began to walk. While there was no solid ground for my feet to touch, I could still move. The more I walked however, the more I could see that there was nothing. The light from my lantern lighting only me.
I was still alone in the darkness.
I sat down with my lantern and stared at its light, still confused and baffled at what I was witnessing. Was this a dream or reality? I wasn't sure anymore. Nothing seemed real anymore. Did that matter?
Some time had passed before I started to feel weaker. The light from my lantern was fading, as was I. Its pulse fading in and out and the light flickered. I could feel myself becoming limp. My limbs were harder to control. The darkness was reappearing. I then realized that if this light, this second chance went out, so would I. I would be trapped in the darkness again.
No! I would not allow it!
I used what strength I had left to think again and use my thoughts to create a new form of life support. I dreamt of something, anything, that would keep my lantern lit. Perhaps I even cried. I cannot remember.
That's when it happened again. I heard the presence of someone else in the darkness with me. I turned myself to look towards the sound to notice a child. They looked afraid and sad. Depressed. Like all their will to live was gone. I called out to the child, "Young one. Come to me. Come to the light."
With a disapproving glance, the child reluctantly walked over towards me. While their energy was not fading like mine was, I could tell they were weak. The child made it over to me and looked me up and down. They shrugged, "What do you want? Are you stuck here with me?"
