Dismantled

Envisage

►  Catharsis 1
Round 1 Entry

The last drop of rain hits the cobblestone path, petrichor starts to proliferate this poorly-lighted alley. And while everyone else is tucked up in or getting ready for tonight's slumber, here I am, the lone stranger in the streets finding his way back home. My feet are soaked as my loafers dive in every puddle of mud and water due to the lack of illumination.

Labyrinth. The alley is like a big labyrinth of two-storey houses, you can get lost and never be found again. But I don't have any other choice, if I want to reach home, this is the only way.

Walking alone with the moon blooming in full above you is not a good place to be. I feel weird and uncomfortable . . . I feel like I am being watched, like a pair of eyes is ready to melt me. Every step, gets worse than the other. Someone--or something-- is at my tail. A gasp escapes my mouth as a pointy shadow stretching far in front of me confirms everything.

I was born a coward and my trembling knees approve of it. The shadow then saunters in front of me and a cloaked silhouette appears in front of me. My nostrils inhale the stench of Arabian perfume that the shadow left as its trail. My body starts to quiver as the repugnant odor threads its way to my system, making me sick.

Not a single syllable escapes my mouth. I stare down the ground, still quivering. Beads of sweat race each other from my forehead down to my cheeks, my tear ducts warn to overflow. I clutch to the paper bag--containing grocery items Mother asked me to fetch-- I am carrying and use it as a source of strength. It did no work.

The cloaked shadows starts to move again, this time in circles around me. I glance at its cerulean eyes in every spin, their serenity reminds me of a thousand waves racing to shore. Those eyes are the only things calm with this figure's structure, like the truth amidst the lies.

It continues its dance but not a single detail, except its eyes, comes to my senses. This figure is as blank as the skies during the peak of a Summer afternoon. Every spin is a blur I get, dizziness starts to kick in. Till I see nothing but pitch black.

----

I woke up with my face flat on the ground, blurry images become crystal clear. I can see a pair of blood oranges on the far end of the street. The must have fallen from the grocery bag which is now tearing apart as i see it floating in a puddle.

I anchor myself up and breathe a sigh of relief-- the cloaked figure is out of sight. But the funny this is, hair strands as the same shade as mine are locked and tangle on my left palm. My right hand search for any balding spot and I can feel nothing. "That's weird," I whisper. Each strand is intertwined with another, all are braided together.

Then there's a warm breath making my hair dance and as I lift my head up, I see cerulean eyes looking at me-- bit by bit, a fiery red shade is engulfing its calmness. "You know me," it declares with a gruff voice.

I inhale some air.

"Don't try to ignore me . . . you know me." The serenity in its eyes is gone, I can see the souls burning in its eyes, "don't ignore me . . ."

I use my hands to help me carry my weight and crawl backwards, my face still facing this figure.

"You've known me for so long, Caspar. You can't ignore me for so long. . ."

I shut my eyes, trying to keep my mouth closed too to lessen my rattling jaw.

"Open your eyes, Caspar. Curse me . . . curse me like you did all those times before . . . give me the taste of that medicine, Caspar. I am waiting . . ."

Fear has been my best friend ever since and at times like this, it never left me. I continue to trail that street, little by little I crawl. Eyes closed, mouth shut. No tears falling, no words blabbering.