DARKNESS

DARKNESS | Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

"One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let him go again."

I walk around in circles in the dark room, singing the words of the only song that came to mind. Boredom has come close to surpassing my hunger, leading me to occupy myself in ways I never anticipated.

"Why did you let him go?
Because he bit my finger so.

Which finger did he bite?
This little finger on my right."

I release a frustrated groan, tired of the colour black, sick of the constant deafening silence, and fed up with my own presence.

"One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive

Six, seven, eight, nine- Ow!"

My nose collides with the smooth wall, sending a small knock through my body. "Fucking piece of absolute shit," I curse mercilessly. I set my palms flat on the wall, staring straight at it as I all but yell, "Why can't you just fucking open?" I hit my palms against the wall as hard as I can, sending shockwaves through me. Ignoring the pain, I continue beating the wall, my rantings growing louder and louder by the second. "I hate this place! Stupid fucking wall! Why do you have to be here? Just let me out! I need food! I don't want to die in this shit hole! You stupid... I don't even know! Argh! Why..." I lower my voice as I slide down the wall, feeling my eyes beginning to water. "Why me?"

Yet as usual, I fight it. I wipe forcefully at my eyes, ridding of any tears that had been threatening to fall. I will not break. Not here, not now.

And that's how I end up lying on the cold, hard floor, once again staring up into nothingness. It's a never ending cycle and something that I'm beginning to do on a daily basis against my will. I can only assume I haven't been in here for merely one day. It has to be longer than that; it just has to.

I imagine life outside these walls. Staring up at the forest canopy, watching as the sun filters through numerous gaps between the leaves. I remember the feel of the soft dirt beneath my back, and of fallen dry leaves pressing into my skin. The sound of the breeze, of the crickets, of my own breathing, was enough to create a peaceful atmosphere.

As I allow the images to flow vividly through my mind, they begin to take shape before me. A low rumbling like that of a waterfall fills my ears, followed by a streak of sunlight that cuts its way through the darkness in the same way a knife slices apart two pieces of meat.

And then, as though by some miracle, the rumbling grows louder and the entire room is bathed in a vicious sunlight that hurts my eyes. I snap them shut, rolling over onto my side to shield my face from my consuming hallucination.

What is this place doing to me?

"Harper?"

The sound of a foreign voice initiates many reactions from my being. My heart jumps in my chest, blood pumping through my veins like there's no tomorrow. In an instant, I've sat up and twirled around, eyes wide and watering from the sting of the light. It takes me a while to fully comprehend what is going on.

The rumbling wasn't a waterfall; it was the door being opened. The light... the light was real.

"C'mon, we have to get out of here," the voice whispers, a silhouette walking towards me.

Slowly, I begin to back away, weary of the newcomer. I don't know where I am or why. I don't know who put me here. Who is this person? Is he here to take me to an even worse fate?