Revolution: Genesis (Published)

Chapter 15: Wake Up, Wake Up Soon!

AZURA

It seems loneliness can trigger the most surprising reactions out of you. Whether you intend to or not, you feel it and it could be astonishing yet be as bizarre as possible.

*'*'*

It was dark. Unlike the calmness of the night, the peaceful black that filled you with tranquility, it was the wicked dark screaming how sinister it was. The surrounding aura froze each of my nerve as I tried to settle and steady myself with the iniquitous that ruled the air. I couldn't clearly understand where I was but I knew it was somewhere I'd rather not be. This present place suffocated me, as if slowly but surely it was squeezing my heart, trying to stop it from beating. Looking around, I realized I was sitting with my knees up to my chest while both my hands and feet were shackled to the wall. My first instinct was to panic and try to pluck the chains out but my sane mind asked me to hold that urge and register that it'd be no use to do that.

And then I remembered. I remembered what happened. I remembered what I saw. I remembered how the surroundings blackened and how I called for Jack. I remembered how the shadowy evil reached up and devoured me. And I panicked. I pulled on the chains hard hoping I'd have enough strength to yank them out. Maybe even crack or break the wall. But as I knew before, it was of no use. I tried walking further until the chains tugged on me, somehow in hope that maybe I could slide out of the heavy metal cuffs; still no use. Had the shadowy evil abducted me? Was he behind all this? I had no clue.

Trepidation started creeping up my skin, slowly making its way into my mind. Not even a little dot of light could be seen. There was no difference between closing and opening my eyes because wherever I looked, darkness met my sight. Fear, fright, anxiety; these feelings swirled in me, sucking in whatever optimistic thought I could have. They threatened to make me lose my mind and will. However the past had sharpened my survival instincts and in that still moment, I vowed to myself to not give into the fear. That it was only a state of mind. I didn't care whether it was my strength or my desperation, I chose to believe it. Because being in chains and not being able to see... it faltered my will and even if I let myself deem that I was brave, I knew I was afraid.

I wasn't afraid to die. No. I was hell bent on killing myself a few years ago, yet I made it out alive. I wasn't afraid to die. I was afraid of leaving it all behind. What I had, what I gave. I was afraid for the people I loved. For the people I cared about. I was afraid to lose them. I was afraid that all that I had accomplished in these few years was going to go in vain. I was afraid that all the time and work spent on me was going to waste. I was afraid that the vow I made to myself of helping even one soul was going to be left undone. I had always believed that each and every soul on this planet had a purpose. I knew somehow, I had a purpose too. And if I died now, I was sure I wouldn't even get to know what it was, rather complete it.

At that point I had done a good job at calming myself and pushing my fears down—if not away—until I heard 'him'. The hair on the back of my neck stood up at his mere voice. I had immersed myself in the illusion that wherever I was, had nothing to do with him, but that obviously wasn't the case. And now it was about time he stopped torturing me by keeping me anxious and anticipated. In the most twisted way, he somewhat relieved me because now, I had something to look forward to. Yes, he terrified me but at the very least, I didn't have to sit around in chains and keep waiting for something to happen. Like I said, it was torture.

A vibrating laugh cut through the atmosphere as the surroundings soon erupted in fire. I had never felt such joy in just being able to see and it gave me a whole new perspective about those who were blind. My eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness and I could see pillars with a basin on top of them alight with flame, in rows which went straight from where I was towards a place my eyes couldn't reach. Everything was made of stone which had cracks in them as if a single hit would crumble them to the ground. It felt like a place where rituals would be performed except there was no ceiling, just blackness on top of it all; a sky without the moon.