The Cave

A clear sky shines overhead as merry birds flirt to and fro singing their happy tunes. Below them, the daisies of the field look up and smile at the sun, gently swaying in the breeze. Nearby, the water skips along the brook as the deer stops to drink its sweet waters. The beauty of nature and life continues on, caught unawares of the troubles below. 

Down, down, down. Deep in the depths of the towering mountains is a cave old and gray. So far down it goes that it has long been forgotten by all but a few. Here is where we find a young maidan wrapped in the chains of her past. Her dress is tattered and stained so that all that remains is a fragment of its former worth. 

The cold seeps into her bones, sending chills throughout her body.  She curls up into herself, to preserve her remaining strength. 

Then, without warning, the Darkness attacks once again. Bombarding her mind with all her failures and mistakes. The questions start to rise. Why did you trust them? Why did you open yourself up? Why did you allow this? Why aren’t you a better person? Why, why why? 

As her questions circulate inside her mind, the Darkness starts to thicken, feeding off her fear and doubt. 

Swirling above her head, it pushes more shame and condemnation into her thoughts. Don’t you know you are unworthy. Don’t you know you are worthless. Don’t you know that no one cares about you, that you won’t amount to anything. 

Her panic begins to escalate as she feels that the walls around her are closing in. She attempts to scream, but no sound escapes. She yanks and pulls on her chains in a desperate attempt to break away, to avoid the unending torment. But despite all her efforts, the chains remain clasped tight. Unbreakable. 

She knows there has to be a way out. She has been taught how to defend herself as she is an elite warrior in the King’s Regiment. She tells herself to concentrate and remember her training. However, her thoughts are overwhelmed by the darkness hovering around her. Her training slips from her grasp as she can’t think beyond her current affliction. 

This was the goal of the Darkness. It has her isolated. Away from the truth. Away from those who could remind her of her training, who could share with her the keys that would set her free. 

The Darkness knows it is winning and with one final swoop, it finally overpowers her, zapping her of her strength and will to fight. She hangs her head as the tears slowly fall. One drop at a time as she succumbs to her fate. Destroyed. Alone. Forgotten.  

***Stay tuned for the next part of the story***