I stood in the center of a never ending labyrinth – dilapidated, rundown, disgusting. The loosely strung together series of rooms, built by careful hands many years ago, had long been forgotten and left to rot in the rain and sun. A pungent odor of mold and decay (the source of which I could not pinpoint) weighed down the air, relieved only in moments by strong drafts billowing through the cracked ceiling. I took a few steps backward and felt an unappetizing squish under my feet. Thankfully it was only fresh mud seeping through the broken tile that stretched in every direction with jagged, asymmetrical chunks.
That’s when I heard it. At first faint but quickly growing – those powerful awkward footsteps intermingled with heavy panting. I twisted around to my left to see what was heading my way. The first thing I couldn’t help but notice was its smile – so sinister and unforgiving. The beast had broken and yellow teeth that would have glistened in patches of sunlight if it wasn’t for a protruding pig snout covering its awful mouth in shadow.
I ran. I had no idea where, but the fear was just too strong. Even though the beast’s pounding steps sounded arrhythmic and uncoordinated, I could feel it getting closer – there wasn’t much time. I rounded what I knew would be the last corner before I met my fate at the hands of this half-human abomination, when I saw a glimmer of hope in front of me; a large glass case with a heavy lid.
I sprinted forward with every ounce of energy my terrified legs would give me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, reminding me how close I was to being eaten, but the smell of its breath wouldn’t let me forget. The instant I reached the glass case the horrid beast leapt for me. I ducked out of its grasp just in time and heard a bitter, hateful squeal as it toppled into the case. I immediately slammed the heavy lid down above my tormentor, now thinking I was safe. But my momentary relief wouldn’t last – there were 3 brass latches on the outside of the case I needed to secure to keep the beast trapped for good. I latched the first two down hard trying to ignore the inhuman sounds echoing from inside the glass case. I felt the sweet sting of triumph as I motioned for the third and final latch, but the beast kicked and writhed inside his holding cell, popping the first latch open. We played this game – me locking him in, him kicking his way out until I realized I was no match for him this way. I could not hide from the beast within. I pounded the top of the case with my fist in frustration as the beast unlocked the final latch.
There was a momentary silence, and then a violent explosion as this wretched monster freed himself from my prison and leapt out to meet me face-to-face. I stared in horror as it landed in front of me, eyes glaring, drooling and panting like a victorious lion about to devour its prey. As the beast raised its hands and leaned in for the kill, the overpowering fear suddenly drained from me as I looked into its glowing red eyes. That’s when the beast hesitated – this was its weakness – being seen for what it really was.
This was not some hell-sent demon of pure evil that could be so easily hated and feared. The beast was me, or rather that part of me with a deep need for self-destruction, consumption and blind greed. I stared the beast straight in the face and said aloud, “I am going to kill you.”
That was the instant I awoke in a pool of my own sweat.
