The Orb

The globe felt unnervingly warm in the palm of the boys hands. It shined showers of red and orange, mixing and arranging in waves of fire. The boys eyes were as wide as moons at his new item, his mouth agape with surpise and glee. He felt as if the very heart of all that was wondrous and beautiful in the world, lay radiating in his hands.
This mystical heart only was beating for a short time before the boy noticed the lessoning glow. The light seemed to almost fade, slow down it's lightshow. All the warmth he felt was being drawn from him now, back into the orb. Cold started to replace the absence. With the draining of the warmth, it also took the boy's joy, smile, laughter, and even his very eyes.
The boy never understood what had happened. He only knew of sight and emotions, then forced to feel the Void.

The boy let out a scream as he clutched the orb close to his heart, anything to get It back.

Breath

I could not see through my eyes, but rather only see myself, as if from a panning camera's point of view. I was confused, lost even. My environment was cloaked in black, causing whatever may be there to be lost in shadow.
I saw my hands raised to my eyes to look at them, when suddenly my back was arched almost impossibly as my mouth gaped open. My breath was leaving my body. Slowly did it leave, however, giving me time to watch myself crumple from the loss of it. It hissed and weaved when it was exposed to the environment.
No longer was my vision from an observer-like perspective. I stared at my breath leaving, and watched it take colors and forms. I saw a vast array of colors, each one representing a feeling from past memories. I could see images fading out into gray the farther it escaped my body. I felt horrendous pain from the ghastly event, but could feel it too fading away the longer it unfolded. I could sense warmth accompanying the Breath, leaving with it, abandoning my flesh.
When all the colors of the rainbow had faded off into my Shadow Surroundings, when all the warmth my heart could provide had left, I collapsed unto my knees. Slouched over, I stared at the floor, unsure of what to do next. I tried to raise my arms but could no longer feel them. I no longer felt any part of myself.
I crawled for a few minutes, and found a puddle to greet my hands. I lured my face to it, to see the reflection.
I could no longer discern the glint in my eyes. I could no longer figure out if I was looking at a man, or a monster. All I could figure out, was that I wanted my Breath back.

Depth

My foot dangled over the edge of the cliff I stood upon. My other wasa keeping me safe, but my mind was wandering, wondering. As I stared at the abyss below I could see shapes, forms, moving within the black sea, beckoning me to join their entourage. I could hear their whispers, their truths of reality:
Alone. Unfixable. Deceitful. Monster.
They painted pictures within the Abyssal Sea, a shadow play of sorts. They showed me couples surrounding me, smiling, happy with their significant other. They showed me standing there, alone.
They showed me older, in a room to myself, strapped to a gurney, rambling incessantly as drugs were administered.
They showed me hiding inside a bathroom, taking care not to make noise as I sawed at my throat and wrists over a sink. Washing the blood from the sink I would stumble.
Broken. Idiotic. Immature. Childish.
I breathed in heavily as I instead looked up to the sky now, only to see it was rapidly becoming dusk. Lights were popping with life around me in the distance. I could almost see the families making dinner, sharing laughter amongst each other. Could almost see the joy resonating off each bulb of light.
I looked down once more at the writhing mass that oozed before me, with one of my feet hovering over it. The Abyssal Mass formed a set of hands out of each other, as if to insinuate that it would catch me. I was not foolish enough to expect it to. I closed my eyes and remembered the images it had painted for me, the little truths that I could find no falsehood in.

I painted my own picture. I saw my chest being dipped in ice, freezing instantaneously. I saw my limbs thrown to a pack of wild animals. I saw my cranium being beat upon by a sledgehammer, pounded into an image similar to ground beef, by an unrecognizable hand.
Feeling a cold wind surge throughout my very skeletal structure, I took in one more deep breath, and finally began to fall.

Althought He was surrounded by lights, none could show him back to the Path.

Ash

I was with my best friend's family reunion, which apparently decided to be held by the youth center near Condor Elementary school. I brought one of my closest friends there, and she was enjoying herself. I played with the nieces and nephews of my 2nd family, waiting until the food was set. Laughter filled the air, swirled through the leaves, and gave fruit to limitless joy.
When the food was finally placed and we all had our shares, the family decided to put on a Theatre show, each family member doing their own idea of entertainment. I was amazed at the varied styles of performing, from simple puppet shows to purple-robed-wearing magicians! Finally it was my turn.

Time skip.

Applause rang out at what I did, although I could not remember what it was. The sun was escaping the moon, ever running behind the horizon. I saw friends from previous years stand in the distance, beckoning for me. I went to them. We enjoyed the company of each other, living in past memories, laughing at each other's quirks. Finally it was time for me to go, in the direction of the youth center. We said our farewells but not before they decided to have a little fun.
As I was crossing the street I heard shouts of alarm for the imminent car. Turning towards the lane of incoming traffic, I realized it was but a joke. Laughing at my folly, I continued onward. They did it a second time, and still I fell for it. Slightly irritated, I turned back to look at them all and wave goodbye. When I turned, however, I saw a dull red glow, grow from the ground.
I looked upward, and saw that there was no moon in the sky, but a planet resembling Earth, inching ever so close to ours. Yet it seemed frozen there, waiting to be noticed. The clouds were tainted blood red as they formed circles around the mysterious object, allowing the image of a portal to be easily conveyed. The object was close enough to make out land on it's surface, and one could almost swear to see Africa or South America staring back.
With everyone frozen in fear, breath forgotten, time seemed to have stopped. Until the object slowly began to turn. Alarmed, some people began to finally scream and run frantically about. The object was gaining momentum, however, and was ever so quickly turning and turning. Still I stared at what was above me. The object was spinning impossibly fast, looking almost like a blurred ball of color. It was then that I became alarmed, and ran to the nearest building, a two story refuge. I yelled behind my ear at my old friends to run and live, but still they stared at the unique sight.
Once it had gained enough momentum, the object decided to crash. It gave no warning. It simply crashed directly onto my companions. I ran faster than ever before, feeling the fire of the object seething through everything around me. It burned the asphalt off my toes. It burned the clothes off my skin. It burned even the bushes right ahead of me. It burned buildings into ash. Still I ran towards my refuge. I felt my nostrils breathing in and out the heat, wanting to stop such pain.
Screams of people melting in agony were quick and swift, but still they rang in my ears. Finally I reached my destination, but it was missing the rest of itself, with the back portion being burned off. Stunned at my survival, I stared back at what I had ran so hastily from.

Time Skip.

I found my abandoned house still in tact, yet it offered no pleasure for me. I looked at the dead cell phone within my hand, wondering if electricity would ever exist again. I thought about the Screams once more haunting my ears. I thought about the people who mattered most to me, possibly still alive, and contemplating searching for them.

I weighed the options: To give myself hope and search for possibly the rest of my life with no means of contact, or start anew and live in what was Now. I thought of their faces, their smiles, their laughs. I thought of holding the cell phone in case I get a lucky break.
I thought.
I threw the cell phone against my crumbling adobe walled house. I threw my hopes against the walls of reality. I threw my mind against the horrors of realization.
Realization, that I choose to not search.

Memorable and Dangerous, is the licking of the Tongue of Flame.

Long Road

My feet led me down the asphalt road, curiously down the middle actually. Barefoot, my blisters riddled my nerves with pain with each step, yet still i moved forward. No dividers for the lanes were found, only my slow tread down the center. I felt the cool night-winds cloak me in comfort as I stared at the road ahead. My eyes couldn't make anything ahead, yet noticed light coming from behind.
Unable to stop, I turned my head to see a vehicle carrying people I knew drive by me, keeping pace with me. We engaged in conversation, one that left me with a sense of joy. Enjoying their company, I yearned to ride with them, to be rid of my blistering walk. They were forced to decline, however. Their vehicle was already full. After some unknown amount of distance was passed, we came to their turn, and we parted ways there. Still I kept walking down my road, however.
Not knowing how much time had passed nor distance covered, vehicle by vehicle drove up to me, carrying the people I grew fondly of. It became a routine: Talk to them, enjoy their company, ask for a ride, and realize their vehicle was full, and watch them drive off their turn. Still I wondered when I'd find my own.
I turned my head around and looked at the road I left behind. Lightposts flickered occasionally and showed no pattern for placement, seemingly random. I found it interesting, seeing as I could find no lightposts on the road ahead of me. I would, however, notice that when a great deal of time had passed from walking through the Night, a lightpost would find itself power and light my path just a little bit. Each lightpost seemed to need more and more time than before to light my way, however. I wished to reach my Turn.
I wondered when the Lightposts wouldn't light my way anymore.
I wondered when my feet would give.
I wondered.

There are those who feel safe in the light, and those who feel safer in the dark.

Pestilence

I gaze unto the mirror, locking eyes with my reflection. I search within the retinas, looking for an answer, for a cure. I find neither, so I raise my palms and search there. Along the wrinkled lines and layers of skin, I see a different pigmentation, in spots, riddled around them. Curious, I touch one on my left hand with the other. My fingertips cause it to slide away from its contact, and falls off my hand slowly, making a sickening sound as it hits the floor.

Horrified, I look back into the mirror for an answer to this new threat, but I only see it smiling. I lock eyes once more, and see it tearing off my shirt. I find it harder to breathe now that I stare at my bare chest, but my reflection only smiles more. Unable to look away from its gaze, I stare as it starts to claw at his chest. I scream in pain as I notice myself doing the same, but still I cannot look away. Layers of skin fall upon the floor, resembling mummy scraps. What was skin filling my fingernails turned into muscle, muscle into bone, but I was no longer screaming. I was pleading with my reflection to stop. I saw no blood from its side, but felt it trickling unto the rest of my body, trickling down to the tiled floor.

Finally my reflection stopped with its smile and stared back at me, cocking its head. I shuddered from the cold air brushing against my mauled flesh. My reflection tilted back to its normal position, and placed his hands over his chest. I recognized what he was going to do, and begged him to stop. He only looked up for a moment, and gave me half a smile before he plunged his fingertips into my chest. I felt no pain, for some unknown reason, but instead cold. With each centimeter he plunged, I grew colder. His smile grew into a full one when he released his hands, and held his, mine, heart between his hands. The bloody mess seeped through his grasp, splashing crimson onto my toes.

The cold surged within me, caressing me almost. The reflection looked at me, at his new item he had dug up, back at me once more, and tossed it into the trashcan beside me. 'Twas then I felt the freedom from the spell of the Mirror, and stumbled out of the door. I was greeted by two figures, wishing to hold me to balance and help me. As I tried to brush them away, to flee, my hands touched a shoulder in accident, and I saw their shoulder flake away. The clothing fluttering off into the wind, the skin dissolving off, the muscles evaporating, and the skeletal bone mass collapsing. I found no air to shriek from the guilty horrorful action I committed, and stumbled some more in the direction away from my companions. The other figure reached out to stop me, but I instead slapped her hand away. I prayed that little contact was enough to not spread my sickness. I was mistaken. Her slapped hand smacked the wall beside her, shattering it into countless fragments. Horrified expressions were painted on her face, and I saw her crumble as well.

I stumbled finally through my desired doorway, and crashed through it. I was greeted by the harsh cold winds and iced ground. Bodies were riddled within it, corpses bearing my face, two sides wearing a flag of their own design. I gazed down at the hole formed within myself, but could not see into it. I instead raised my clawed palms for the search once more. I noticed a drop of water falling unto them. Came rarely, but consistently, until water washed over my hands.

I screamed in anger and sorrow as I let the flood of tears flow.

Time is not made of lines, but Circles.

Contact

The apples continue in a constant loop from my fingertips, spreading delight among the tables surrounding me. I catch two out of the three, and when the final one is in the air, I stare at it. On it's precipice of flight I observe how it stalls in the air, wanting to stay that high. Only to come tumbling, tumbling down. I neglect the urge to catch it, and allow it to break upon my scalp, apple bits scattered here and there. A tsunami of laughter crashes over my ears, followed by a roaring applause.
I take my bow and turn to leave.
Anger erupts however, when I turn. They demand more. I look into my bag of tricks and amuse them once again for hours on end. Throwing knives in a comical fashion, in a humorous design. The classic whoopie cushion. Even down to telling what each audience member is, to their face, but with a smile. I unload it all. Finally I am excused. I turn down the hall from this chamber of Hell. A shimmering light taunts me at the end, beckoning me. Not one to dissaude a calling, I go to it. My eyes find a mirror before Us. Yet my face seems different to me somehow. There are lines I do not remember existing before. Peering closer, I recognize them not as lines at all.
They are cracks.
My hands, trembling with realization and fear, go to the edges of my face, the seam of ear and flesh, searching. They find the edges, but not smooth as they once were. They have become rough, digging into my flesh with each expression of emotion. It worries me that I have not the memory of when I put this on.
It worries me more to wonder when I can take it off.

The most useful tool to ruling the crowd, is but a simple Fool.

Strife

What is a tree without its leaves?
What is a bee without its knees?
What is a clown without his jokes?
What is an arti without its choke?
What is it
What is the moon without its glow?
What is a blizzard without its snow?
What is a lawn without its mow?
What is an archer without their bow?
What is it
What is a sword without its edge?
What is a cliff without its ledge?
What is a Soldier without their pledge
What is it
What is a jester without his mask?
What is a man without his task
What am I?
What is a heart without its beat
What is a butcher without his meat
What is a mother without her brood
What is a man without their blood
What is it
What is a clock without the time
What is a jester without his rhyme?
What is a dollar without a dime?
What is it
What is a bomb without its Boom
What is a car without its vroom
What is a plane without its zoom
What am I when I meet my doom?
What.
What is a Breath without a Life?
What is a handle without a Knife?
What is Chaos without Strife?
What am I?

Sometimes You Cannot solve What you feel You should.

Scent

The mud smears under my feet, the rain trickling onto my tangled head of hair. Slowly it drips onto my face, filling my nose with the stench of the battlefield before me. A part of me pretends the rain to be my own tears, yet all I can really think about is the mulititudes of corpses that lay spread about. I cannot discern any wounds that could cause so many deaths, yet the look on their face remains the same: In pain. The rain brings up the smell of the rotting flesh into the air, and quickly it circles me. I can't help but to run from it, in hopes to find another survivor.

My toes greet the mud with ferocity as I frantically search, yet find none. I suppress the urge to vomit from the scene. Bodies beyond count, each with a blonde head of hair, each rotting now with nobody to bury them. I cannot even discern which side was which. Which was the Controller, and which the Survivor.
Subtlely, however, I picked up something else. A different scent not from corpses or filth, yet unsure of what. I followed it with much haste, hope once again surging through my veins. I stopped to find myself at a door, it's massive size intimidating at the sight. The scent was just on the other side, however, and to be this close brought me such unfounded joy.
I bursted through the door, falling onto my face. Yet not onto the wretched mud, but onto a patch of grass. The sunlight streamed my eyes into a blind stupor. Two pairs of hands reached towards me, and at first I felt a twinge of fear. When they instead hoisted me up, any fear had immediately dissipated. I embraced each figure, inhaling the life around them. Hope's surge found its way once more, but I did not feel pain from it. I found myself smiling at it all. Smiling that My War was over. Smiling that I can simply smile. Smiling, that I had won.

Touch

I found myself walking down the ever-spiraling corridor, the gravel crunching beneath my bare feet and the roof above my shrouded in black. I knew not which way was right, only which way I could go: down. I heard whispers surrounding me, yet was unable to discern the source. The more I walked, however, the clearer they became.

Join. Completion. Wholeness.

I felt a part of me twinge in fury, wanting me to turn around. As much as I wished to heed it's wantings, I knew the way behind me was already caved in. Steeper and steeper became the trail, forcing my hands to seek out aid from the walls, the cool, shambly, cave-like walls.

Follow. Proceed. Ascension.

My breathing became shallower with each step, causing a piece of me to wonder why I was not panic-stricken, yet I knew the answer: I've been here before. My fingertips pondered at the texture of the walls around me, and asked my eyes to answer for them. 'Twas then I let them recoil in fright.

Fear. Forgetfulness. Cowardice.

The walls had washed away their gravel-face, and instead donned my own, all staring at me with intensity. Constantly moving their mouths at varying degrees, piercing me with their retinas, I continued downward.

Hope. Stupidity. Vanity.

I came to my destination, and found myself at the edge of a large body of water. No, not water, but a black viscous substance I could not readily identify. It was contained in a vast cave, and filled it's every corner with it's content. The walls that held my face grew here still, and smothered the roof of the cave like moss, still muttering their words.

Stare. Become. Be.

I knelt in front of the liquid before me, and could not make out my own reflection. I held my gaze upon it though, and searched within it for answers. I could not tell how much time had flown by, only that at some point, my reflection did grow within. Refusing to blink, I watched it manifest, morph, into me. As if guided by some unknown string, I followed the urge to grasp it. As my fingers on the one hand touched the liquid, however, the reflection was gone, and so was my hand. It followed my skin, climbed up it even, and rapidly pulled me in. I found no willpower to struggle.

Lost. Confused. Wasted.'
I felt the substance wash over me, felt it smother me, and I did not resist. I felt every cool ripple it sent, every arctic-like wave crash over me, and found myself smiling. I opened my eyes, and saw only The Abyss. I allowed it to embrace me.
I looked up and saw the cave had vanished, and was by my lonesome atop a hill from afar, overlooking the World. I felt a part of twinge for that embrace once more, and looked to the Moon for comfort.
I wondered why the world appeared so clear when all the natural Light was gone from me.

Sight

My claws caved at the ground with each bound, lungs filling with intensity and air. Eyes scouring the city for what they craved. My ears alerted me to the roaring of a car engine, allowing my legs to find shelter in a nearby alley. The smell of urine and moss bathed me with the sweet embrace of the night. I felt the sensation of freedom, a surge of power rising through my chest, and I let it loose with a roar.

Feeling safe once more, I crept out of the alley. My alley. Sensing what I desired, I saw it. It walked unaware of my presence, completely oblivious. My fangs showed in the reflection of the street light as I grinned. I let my fury follow It. When It stopped at the step of a door, I let my rage consume me.

My ears couldn't pick up the screaming as I tore out It's throat. My claws ravaged It's flesh, and my fangs cleaved It's bones, with my throat swallowing all the sustenance it could find. The rage inside my chest surged once more, and I let it out with another roar, dispelling rage, fear, and hate. I knew what I was, and I could revel in it.

I heard an odd sound behind me. Caked in blood, I swerved around to find a small child, staring at me. Puzzled by their look, I contemplated why they were not screaming at the sight of me. What could this child be thinking? I allowed my clawed feet to step closer to this wonder. It did not move. Spiraling into confusion, I stepped closer, yet this time breathed onto its face, so they could smell my prey. Still no movement. Enraged by the audacity of this petulant child, I got in close enough to stare into their eyes.

The crystal blue eyes stared back, and despite possible trickery of the light, I could discern my reflection. This child saw only a man, drenched in sweat, not blood. Horrified, I looked back at my prey and saw a boy trying to be a man. Dead, with his blonde hair covering his face, I fought back wanting to scream. I saw the body smiling at me. I turned back to the child, with a deeply confused look, but saw the child had turned into the body I had slain. I could not find the eyes once more, but only the same disturbing smile.

I looked into the palm of my claws to find the answer to my confusion, but saw only flesh. It was then I screamed at my own horror. Screamed at my own realization.