PRIDE YOUR IGNORANCE ( THE PROMISED NEVERLAND )

THREE: SHADOW

[First Name] couldn't move. She was stuck in her place on her bed, laying on her side with her arms stuck under her head and pillow and her legs crossing each other. Her blanket was beginning to get hot and she was trying her best to stay calm, trying to glance up at the clock on the nightstand

4:03. Okay, good. She didn't sleep in. She closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep, only for them to shoot back open when she felt a weight on her chest. She tried to jerk back, failing. Darting her eyes to the corner of the room, she saw a shadow. Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.

The shadow glided over to her, staring down at her. She couldn't do anything, staring at him, or rather, through him-- he was made up of black smoke, with no true form or shape; he was simply a long, thin blob of smoke, yet he was so intimidating.

"My, my, little girl... You're quite the selfish one, aren't you?" His voice rang throughout the room as [First Name] clenched her eyes as hard as she possibly could. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. You're hallucinating.

"Ah, even if I may be a mere hallucination, I still come from your subconscious, do I not?" His voice was... silky. It sounded the way he looked. Smooth and soft yet terrifying. A hallucination. He's a hallucination. Don't let him scare you. He's fake.

"Just because I am not real does not mean I am not sentient, my dear. I am part of your brain. The part that you," he... leaned down? closer to her, and [First Name] felt as if he were somehow breathing on her face. "refuse to acknowledge. Now, here I am, forcing you to acknowledge it. Don't be afraid, sweet girl, for I am here to help, no matter how it may look."

[First Name] felt herself relax, as much as she tried to resist it. Her brain was forcing her to as if it trusted him. She did not. She didn't want to think about all those things she's shoved down.

"Now, now, you know you shouldn't think like that. All you're doing is making yourself guiltier, my sweet." He sighed, sitting down beside her, stroking her face with what she assumed was his hand. It was gentle and soft, but [First Name] didn't allow herself to lean into it.

You don't know anything.

"Why, yes I do. You, my dear [First Name], push everything down, correct? Well, everything that you," he pressed a gentle 'finger' to her nose, "shove down goes right to me. I've watched you grow up and I've felt every emotion you have. I am your subconscious, my dear girl. You need to acknowledge your emotions and bring back what you have pushed down. All you're doing is destroying yourself ignoring them."

No, I don't. I don't. I've done just fine so far and I'll continue being fine. All it is is a hindrance. It will get in the way of my work. I do not need to acknowledge whatever bullshit this is. All it will do is hold me back.

"That's what I thought you'd say..." He sighed, cupping her face with his hands. He looked down at her with such a gentle gaze for something with no eyes. "You see yourself as a monster, correct? You don't feel a single drop of guilt for those you've hurt, those you've disposed of. All you can think of is yourself-- and that little brother of yours, of course. Bring those feelings up. Dredge them up from the depths of hell."

Shut up. Shut the hell up. You don't know anything. You're just a bullshit hallucination trying to make me feel guilty. I don't give a shit about my little brother. He doesn't mean anything. He doesn't even know about that. The others never meant anything. Stop it.

"Acknowledge it, sweet girl." He took his hands off her face, looking at the clock. He sighed before leaning down, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead before her muscles untensed and she could move again, disappearing into thin air with one last sentence.