Symphony of Lilacs

28. Destruction for Sake of

A boy, no more than five years old, skips across a hill. The orange light from the setting sun keeps watch of him.
After a while, the boy looks about himself, realising how far he's wandered off.
"Papa... Mama..."

The fallen leaves on the ground rustle, making him turn.
He tilts his head as a serpentine belt emerges from the shadows.
The boy takes a step ahead, cautious of the snake's rising head.

"Matthew, get aside!" A man snatches him away—his Papa— from the snake, shaking him.

The boy stumbles back, just as the hunter's axe cuts off the snake's head.

"Never stray away from your Mama and Papa! Never."

The boy screams.

As my blurry gaze focuses, sweat trickles down my forehead, chest heaving.

Almost twenty years ago, we were in Grandmother Penelope's estate in Cardiff.
I wandered off into the forests till Father and the estate's gardener came with an axe...

I didn't even know I had this memory.

My body jostles within the bed sheets, trying to stand up. But to no avail.
I can only make small movements, but cannot wholly command my limbs and arms.

What is happening now?

A hiss resounds, forcing me to turn my head sideways.
Momentary bliss envelopes me because of movement, but my voice surrenders itself at the guest in my room.

That guest slithers on the hellish carpet with a long and twisting arc. My body remains stagnant-- just like my deathliy silent heartbeat-- as the snake keeps staring at me. The soft breeze from the open window seems to be the only audience to this.
The snake then turns away, flicking its tail back at me.

A breath releases from me.
But it is knocked out by the snake bringing its tail into its mouth.

It curves into a circle, eating at its own flesh. With each bite, its fang swallows more and more.

Something in my chest threatens to jerk up. But it doesn't.
It stays frozen as the snake keeps devouring itself.

The snake looks up, saliva and blood mixed in its mouth. It says in a familiar voice,
"Wake up."