Of The Wretched

Trapped

A cool, damp breeze fills this place.
A shiver racks my body,
But it is not from the cold,
I'm far too used to that.

It's empty here, and dark.
I can't see. I stumble and trip.
Is anyone there?

I cry out for help,
But my voice is muffled,
Distorted.
It echoes back wrong.
Is that really what I said?

I fall, deeper, farther into this place.
It's colder, darker, emptier.
Where am I?

I cry out again,
The echo is worse this time.
I can't understand,
What is happening to me?

I continue forward,
But where am I going?
Is there even a way out?

I shiver again, it's worse this time.
I hear a dripping sound,
From where?
What is it?

The dripping follows me as I fall again.
It comes faster.
What is it?

I call out,
It's still a distorted echo.
Words jumbled,
It confuses me.
Why would I say that?

I stumble forward.
Where am I going?
There is no way out,
I've been here too long,
Was there ever a life outside of this?

The dripping runs ever faster,
The air grows colder, damper, darker.

I fall again.
I keep doing that,
Why?
I wish I could see where I was going.
I wish I knew what that dripping was.

I've grown attached to the constant drips, though.
It brings me comfort
In a way.
It makes me feel safer,
Somehow.

Is anyone there?
Am I always to be so alone?
Destined to remain in this place?

My arms grow heavy.
I grow weaker,
I stumble,
I cry out.
But there is nothing,
Even the lying echo has forsaken me.

Why do I keep walking here?
I'm tired,
Can I lie down?
Can I rest?
I'm not safe here,
I can feel it.

The dripping encourages me to rest.
I will,
In a moment,
Just a little farther.

I trip,
I fall,
I don't get up.
I pull my legs up to my chest and lie there.

As my knees become wet,
I realize,
The dripping was coming from me.

I touch my face and feel the cascading tears.
I choke.
What is happening?
Where am I?
Why am I alone?

I cry out again.

But no one came.

I lay for a while,
But I stand eventually.
I'll keep going,
A meaningless walk
Through this place.

A place of fear,
A place of pain,
A place of madness.

My tears fall faster,
I grow colder.
Yet still,
I will walk through this place.

However long it takes,
I will go on.

There must be an end.

And I will find it.