The Man's Journey III

Numb. Deadened senses were no help, yet trudging on yet again the man found himself beleaguered, craving death.

Running.

Nothing could be further from his heart. How he wanted to stay. But he couldn't. The truth had slipped from his mind like a wet fish, and now he had lost himself. A shooting star fallen to the dark ground.

He could not stand in his savior's presence, but now he craved it. Lost without any direction, he simply runs from his pursuers. Despair clutched his soul with the knowledge that every step he took away from danger was another step away from his beloved savior, too.

Why is he permitting this, the man inwardly moped.

A cackle rattled from behind. The man kept running, not willing to relent to the fiend's pursuit. Risking a glance behind, he saw nothing. Surely, he looked the fool for running so desperately. But the laughter never stopped, a crescendo in his mind.

"I can't..."

Deep gasps cut his words short. Too weak to cry out for help, he trudged along in desperate, stubborn travailing.

"Where..." his wheezing breathing could barely form words.

WHERE ARE YOU?!

"I am here," came a reply from above.

The man cocked his head up as he continued to run, seeing a bright parting in the dense, black cloud cover. For a moment, he smiled in hope, soaking in the bright sunshine.

"It wasn't always this way," the booming, friendly voice continued.

"I know," the man whimpered, falling to his knees, too weak to continue. The darkness began to encroach, but the bright spotlight upon the man held it at bay. Not wanting to take any chances, the man tried to crawl, but was too winded. He gasped for air as he laid sprawled out on his stomach. "I remember brighter days, before the dark ones came and wrapped my mind in chains."

A chorus of mocking laughter rose up around the man, choking out the ray of light into a thin beam.

The man trembled in terror and screamed, "Set me free!"

Fear choked him, and the light waned even more as the dark voices assumed forms about him, dancing and cackling in sinister delight.