It's Not My Fault. It Can't Be My Fault.

Varian paced in his cell, still agitated from the events last night. He wasn't as agitated today. His energy was slowly depleting, and for the first time in a while he thought about sleep. He stopped and glanced up at the cell window. He looked down at the light the sun cast on the stone floor. It's about 3 in the afternoon. He's slept at odder times. Exhaustion fell on him like a heavy blanket, and he went over to his bed, climbed into it and almost immediately went to sleep.

It was dark. The only thing emitting light were the vials he had tied to a branch. He waved the staff, straining to see in front of him, but there was nothing.

A movement caught the corner of his eye, and he turned toward it, shining the vials toward the area where he saw the movement. Another movement appeared to his right. He turned toward that, now becoming a little more alert. He wanted to cry out, to ask who, or what, was there.

"Poor little Varian," a slithery voice cooed. It came from behind him. Varian spun around, pointing the end of his staff in that direction.

"Who's there?!" he finally shouted.

"You couldn't save your own father," the voice said. Something moved passed the boy. His eyes followed it.

"I can and I will!" Varian exclaimed. A breathy chuckle came from his left.

"Did you hear that?" A different, high pitched voice laughed. "He says he can save his father!" A chorus of laughter sounded all around him.

"B-but I can!" he retorted. The laughter died down to fits of giggles.

"How can you undo something you've done?" the first voice asked. "You've tried, and you failed."

"No." Varian shook his head. "It's not my fault! It's Ra-"

"It's your fault," several voices growled. Varian was taken aback.

"N-no," he stammered, "it's not-"

"You trapped him."

"You're not smart enough to free him."

"Shut up."

"He's never getting out."

"Shut up!"

"He'll never be proud of you."

The voices are circling him, laughing. Laughing at him.

"Stop it," he whimpered.

"Aww, you gonna cry?"

"You miss your daddy?"

"If you loved him, why would you disobey him?"

"You're selfish."

"How could you do this?"

Varian covered his ears, wanting so much to block them out. But their voices just penetrated his head, getting louder, more vicious.

"What kind of person are you?"

"I think I can answer that! He's pathetic."

Laughter.

"Weak."

More laughter.

"I'm not weak!"

"Then stop crying."