I always believed that the people who choose to be ignorant of their surroundings were rats, cowards who choose not to acknowledge the weak, the people who are struggling, because they were afraid these people who affect their lives, but in reality, i was the one who was ignorant, now that i hear Noora's voice again, even if it's temporary, i realized that the biggest rat amongst everyone, was me. I knew Noora was suffering under her abusive father's house, ...she struggled with life, perhaps far
more than i did. Yet she chose not to complain like I had, every single day.. She chose to fight back against the pain, She chose to suffer alone and not bother her friends with her pain, no wonder why i considered her an saint, My ignorance was the reason she died. My weak, pathetic self was the reason she died. If only I'd had the courage to get her out of that hell, to ask her to marry me..
i could've been in an better place, i could've been with the woman i loved, happier than ever. Yet I'm not with her, I'm drowning in this black ocean of nothingness, with a voice that reminds me of her, hoping that she's alive, but she's not. The woman i once loved is dead, Whoever this thing is, it is mocking her—mocking the dead—by pretending to be her voice.
Being the coward i had been in the past, i chose to suffer, the pain became a part of my daily life, but now, i refuse to let anyone hurt me, i refuse to let this thing mock the woman i once loved.
"Who are you to mock her?" I gripped my chest, ready to fight a god, and demanded: "I answered your questions. Now answer mine, or we have no deal." I asked firmly
A cold, unpleasant voice asked, "What makes you think you can walk out on us?"
You think you're in control, Boy?" The voice echoed throughout the empty void.
At that moment, I realized the glaring flaw in its confidence. If it truly held absolute control, why had it waited? Why allow me to speak?, The Voice's power was clear—it was capable of unspeakable things. Yet, here it was, negotiating. I felt like, I was missing a crucial piece of leverage. This entity is clearly strong, someone who has absolute authority over this void, yet it is attempting to communicate with me, when it has no reason at all to talk to me, i wonder, if there's something that i have, which prevents that thing from taking control of me, or perhaps that thing wants something from me, which it cannot do itself.
"If you're the such a strong being, what prevents you from taking control over my body?" I Demanded
My mind was abruptly consumed by unanswered questions. I knew this Entity was an opponent I could never defeat in direct combat. I considered myself sharp, but its intellect surpassed my own.
I felt the intense pressure of the water crush my body. Then came the laughter—a sound like a thousand dry voices echoing from all directions—followed by slow, precise clapping. The sound dripped with mocking superiority, proving my question had genuinely surprised the Entity.
"Clever, Boy. You're good for such an tiny little creature" The entity said its tone dripping with the false benevolence of a teacher praising a slow pupil.
"Nothing prevents us from taking over you, Boy. You're an instrument, An instrument whose only purpose is to serve us, If not handled gently, your mind and body would crumble before our might."
"Since you humans are fragile, our presence alone could crumble your soul and body, the fact that you're still able to speak, is impressive as it is."
At that very moment, a crucial flaw in the negotiations that seized my attention: this almighty Entity, whoever they were, required me to seal the deal—I was the missing piece. I was about to speak, but the Voice cut me off.
"You are correct, Boy. We do need you, but not as an equal." The Voice said with a clinical, almost bored, tone. "The reason we require you is simple: You are the perfect vessel for our power, the only one who can endure our full might."
"You need....Me?" I asked with my voice slightly shaking, my body feeling heavier
The empty Void was shattered by a sound of pure dread: a groaning, metallic creak, as if a thousand rusty gates were being wrenched open simultaneously. I heard it immediately after.
"Yes."
As far as I could remember, no one had truly needed me. I was always the one pushed aside. The few who had claimed they needed me always held ulterior motives; I was merely a puppet helping them achieve their goals. Then, they would push me aside and treat me like trash. I wasn't perfect, but I was still human—I wanted to be treated with respect, with love, with care. I was never allotted those luxuries. Despite my better judgment, the fact that this Entity actually needed me made me feel wanted, but deep inside, I knew they had a sinister ulterior motives. If I were to mindlessly accept their offer without questioning their intentions, I could be in far worse trouble.
If i wish to outsmart this entity, I'll have to know what I'm dealing with–otherwise, i won't be able to fulfill my promise.
"If you're so powerful—why do you need me? Can't the all-mighty Entity do everything by itself?" I asked, the words edged with a massive, challenging grin.
If i was going to outsmart them, I would not let them read me. I would not let them seize hold of my emotions.
"Isn't the all mighty entity, Capable of doing everything by themselves? i asked again, maintaining the grin on my face
For a single, agonizing second, everything went silent—a grim reminder that I was floating in complete emptiness. I instantly knew I had angered them by questioning their authority.
I saw something terrifying, something unforgettable: thousands of bloody-red eyes glaring at me from the absolute darkness—That's when I heard it.
"YOU MERE HUMAN, DARE QUESTION US." The roar was so immense, I felt I had personally angered the gods above.
I hate to admit it, but at that moment, pictures of her started flashing in my head: her smile, the warmth of her hands, her soft lips. At that very moment, I wasn't afraid for my life; I was hoping for it to end. Perhaps I might find peace in the afterlife. While staring down this Entity, I wasn't scared, because I saw only two options: either this thing completely kills me, or it gives me another chance at life. Nothing in between.
I knew they were desperate to get a hold of me. They copied her voice, they brought me all the way here, and despite being such an ancient being, they were still willing to negotiate with me. This proved me right: They were desperate—which was perfect, since it would allow me to expose their motives.
"Guess you do have emotions after all, huh?" I asked, not relenting to their anger.
Before i could say another word, The Entity retaliated.
"Emotions? You speak to us of emotions, Boy? Isn't it ironic that the one here claiming moral superiority abandoned his own struggling mother to a sickbed? You are the one who traded love for self-pity. You have no emotions worth judging ours."
Unfortunately, the Entity was right—I did abandon my mother in her sickbed. I was so head over heels for Noora that I forgot the one who chose to stick by my side ever since I was born.
My mother's name was Kathrine. She was born in the slum area, an area abandoned by all—humanity's disregarded trash. Criminals, rapists, murderers; they were all thrown there. It was basically a prison surrounded by tall buildings, and my mother was born there. I never got to meet my grandparents, but the way she talked about them, they didn't sound very kind.
Kathrine was also a victim of rape, just like Noora. She could have aborted me at the start, could have done countless things to get rid of me, but she didn't. She chose to keep me, to feed me, to take care of me.
I was foolish. I chose to pursue love, to pursue my selfish dream of being loved by someone, while the one who gave birth to me, who took care of me, felt lonely. Her only son wasn't there for her. I did take care of her medical bills, but now that I think about it, I could have done more. I could have been there often—but instead, I chose the path that led to my own demise.
I wish I could have seen her one last time before I died, to hug her, to tell her, that I am sorry...
I wanted to say a lot, but the words wouldn't come out of my mouth. I couldn't speak; I wanted to say something clever, snarky, but my brain stopped working. Their words really affected me this time—the guilt over Noora's death and abandoning Kathrine really was a heavy burden.
Before I could form a response, the Entity delivered a final, chilling visual.
Before my eyes, a vast, knowing smirk of pure white light slowly formed and hovered in the oppressive darkness. Then, the Entity proposed a deal.
"We understand how you feel. The darkness inside of you is darker than ever. What if we could make that pain go away? What if we could make all your deepest, darkest desires come true?"
I wanted to say a lot, but the words wouldn't come out of my mouth. I couldn't speak; I wanted to say something clever, snarky, but my brain stopped working. Their words really affected me this time—the guilt over Noora's death and abandoning Kathrine really was a heavy burden.
Before I could form a response, the Entity delivered a final, chilling visual.
Before my eyes, a vast, knowing smirk of pure white light slowly formed and hovered in the oppressive darkness. Then, the Entity proposed a deal.
"We understand how you feel. The darkness inside of you is darker than ever. What if we could make that pain go away? What if we could make all your deepest, darkest desires come true?"
I managed to ask one last question: "What can you offer?"
The Entity's smirk widened, a frightening thing of pure light. "What can't we offer?"
I felt the pull of the Entity's words—the promise to erase the pain, to finally have peace. For a split second, I succumbed to the seductive lie.
Suddenly, the crushing darkness of the Void vanished. I was standing in sunlight on soft, green grass. Around me, a peaceful farm stretched out—a red barn, a white fence, and the low sound of cattle in the distance. The air was clean, carrying the scent of hay and warm earth.
Then I saw her. Noora.
She was wearing a simple cotton dress, her smile wide and genuine, just as I remembered. She was approaching me, her hand held out. This was the life I had always craved, the escape I thought I could never have. I took a step toward her.
But just as my fingers brushed hers, the world crumbled. The sunlight was violently extinguished.
I was instantly transported to a small, isolated barn surrounded by complete, suffocating darkness. The only light came from a single, intensely bright street lamp focused entirely on the barn entrance. I didn't want to look, but I couldn't stop myself.
I dragged myself inside. The air was thick with the smell of dust and something metallic. My legs froze.
In the center of the dusty floor, under the harsh glare of the lamp, Kathrine was kneeling. She was rocking a lifeless body, her face was streaked with tears and grime. I recognized the simple cotton dress, but the rest was unrecognizable. It was Noora.
"This is all your fault," Kathrine whispered, not looking up. She repeated the words, the sound hollow in the vast barn: "This is all your fault."
The guilt was a physical weight, heavier than the water of the Void. It crushed the air from my lungs. This vision was the Entity's message: This is what you lost. This is the consequence of your weakness.
I turned and ran, fleeing the vision of my mother holding the body of the woman I loved. I burst out of the barn and stumbled, realizing the floor was no longer dry wood, but the familiar, cold, liquid empty nothingness of the Void.
I was back. The endless blackness was all that remained.
The white, knowing smirk was still hovering directly in front of me, larger now, a triumphant crescent of light in the dark.
"Do you accept the deal?" the Entity's voice demanded, now stripped of any pretense, cold and absolute.
End of chapter....