What has become of him?

[user 190311]

In the darkness he sits alone, not happy not sad just sitting there thinking. He has been there since noon; in the same chair not moving. The darkness makes no difference to him, since there is no one it could hide or obscure besides him. In the darkness or the light there is nothing to see in this state he is in.

As he sits lost in injurous thought, he scratches at the wooden handrest with his fingernail. He picks at it like his thoughts pick at his mind, trying to get to that which is covered up, but unlike the wood under the flaking varnish his true self remains a mystery.

If he could just solve this puzzle, if he could just beat it, maybe he could be free or find an escape. But unseen restraints bind him to the chair, holding him fast. The chair has left behind the way of chairs and has become a vehicle. It transports him on journeys through lands found only in fantasy. Even time makes no sense here, and she is forgotten, and would be offended if she could be.

"If there was someone with me things would be different," he mumbles in a moment of clarity. They would surely be able to snap him out of the trans by just being there; like a sturdy anchor keeping a ship from the malevolent pull of a maelstrom. But he has no such security, no such care, so he just drifts in thought further and further until all things that are real fade away, and he is left with only fantastical things that have no foundation, and no substance.

These lands are colorfull and happy, but there lives something sinister here. Just below the bright colors, just below the happiness it lurks. It calls to him here subtly; whispers in the breeze. It interrupts his blissful smile when it speaks, but he tries to ignore it, forcing his cheaks back into a happy state. But it keeps whispering and tempting. The beast seams angry at the real world, and he can feel the heat of its insatiable wrath whenever it speaks.

"You are not alone, for I am with you. We should burn it all, you know, set those that hurt us on fire and revel in the work of the flames." the beast whispers.

"Who are you?" the man replies.

"You" it growls.

An emptiness manifests where his heart is supposed to be. The hole has to be filled and it agonizingly aches for substance. The beast seeks this place, continuously reaching out and trying to take hold in it.

There is a knock at the door and the sound jerks him out of his trance violently. He stands quickly as if he was never bound and walks over to the door hoping it is some kind of salvation come to visit. He opens the door and it creaks and moans from inactivity, revealing...

 

[CenotaphGirl]

Oooh im hooked revealing whatttttt?!?!?!

 

[user 190311]

The bright light in the hallway surprises him, and it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust. There is no one at the door, and he peeks out into the long hallway. To the right he sees the maintenance guy talking at the door to one of the other apartments, and to the left a person is walking away down the hall quickly. It appears to be a woman wearing a long black coat, and black high heals. She has long streight dark hair that go down to her hips, and she floats down the hall elegantly.

She turns her head to look back at him as she walks, and their eyes meet. Her bright blue eyes are emphasized by her pale skin and dark eyeliner. Her black lips are formed into a smile. In that moment something stirs in his heart. He grabs his chest in reflex as old machinery spring to life in his chest, and those machines churn out feelings; feeling that were long forgotten. She disappears around the corner and he quickly steps out after her, but when he reaches the spot she's already gone.

As he walks back he wonders how just a glance could have such an effect. He puts his hand on his chest again, and he could almost feel a lingering warmth there.

He gets back to the door of his apartment and notices an envelope on the ground. He picks it up and was about to inspect it when he noticed the maintenance guy staring at him. Even the tenant was peeking out of their doorway, and both seemed surprised by him being outside. He quickly went back in, closed the creaking door and turned on the light.

The bulb of the light in the small hall in his apartment flickered and clicked a few times as it struggled to remember how to work. He inspected the envelope, and it was small and was sealed with red wax. The symbol pressed in the wax was a rose.

Inside was a card, and it was definitely professionally made. At the top were two gold curved lines and where they met, in the center, was a bright red rose. The other writing was in gold also, and in an elegant font. It read:

In the world of darkness and beasts, love and light bloom like a rose, blessing the pale with color, and stale air with fragrance. If you seek its color and sweet scent, denounce Tartarus and find your light. Then you are most welcome at Abigail's Garden.

"Abigail's Garden?" he said to himself frowning. He turned the card but there were no other clues and he placed it back in its envelope.

He switched off the light and sat back down in the chair and started picking at the wood again. His head started to spin lightly, as the beast rose up and started growling profanity. Then he smelled it; from the envelope that was still in his one hand came the smell of a rose. It's sweet scent came up into his nostrils and down into his heart, displacing the beast. The growls grew silent and weak, and his mind cleared. He walked back to the door grabbing his coat and hat and left; leaving the darkness behind.

He had no idea where or what Abigail's Garden was, but something assured him, even compelled him forward. It was very late and the streets were empty and wet from a brief storm. He just walked, and figured: Que sera sera...

 

[Murakami_1]

Are you going to continue this?