Bound in chains, with the light drained from his eyes, his life... A broken man stands alone helplessly left for dead; the darkness has won. Days, weeks, years go by. All alone, as the darkness consumes him, his soul, his life, even his very being. Struggling to stay awake, the man screams into the cold, hard, merciless night. "Help me! Please, someone save me!" Between each scream is a cry. A howl of despair and agony. Alone, the man knows deep in his cold, black, shattered heart that his fate is sealed. Hopeless. No savior, no 'knight in shining armor' will come to his rescue. Alone. Broken. Hopeless. Locked away, forever bound in the chains of his own fear, trapped behind an unbreakable barrier, surrounded by darkness. Alone... All alone, so far from help, love, happiness, life... So far away from the light so far beyond him. So far lost to the world, suffocated by complete darkness where not a single hand could reach. Alone... Slowly, surely, the man falls deeper and deeper into the black abyss that has become his soul. "Please..." he begged, "End me. End me now, make this wretched pain stop.. Please, just make it stop!" Faster and faster he starts falling towards the bottom, in an endless free fall with only one ending, one escape. Worthless.. The man's screams are swallowed by the roar of the wind, his tears becoming a blur. Tears. Tears of joy. Tears of despair. Faster and faster, closer and closer he falls, praying to god to end this madness. Praying for someone to save him knowing, believing that someone would try. No one cares... Worthless.. Faster still, his shirt becoming shreds of cloth on a cold weakened body. Hopeless. The ground races up, the end is near. Alone. Tears flow from the man's eyes. A final goodbye to his past life. Guilty. Fate has finally caught up to the man, has finally come to end his worthless, miserable life. Loveless. "Thank you.." He whispers, the ground inches from his face. Broken. He closes his eyes, waiting for the end, for death's cold, calm, careless embrace. The ground rises up to meet the poor, broken soul, coming to take him from the world. Time slows, oh so slowly it rises. Then, seconds before impact, he stops. His year long free fall has ended. Slowly, carefully, and cautiously, he opens his eyes. Shaking, he looks up and sees... Light. A single, bright light in the darkness. Hope. Hope filled the man's eyes for the first time in so long. Love. Happiness. He cries out in joy, "Here, I'm here!" the man raises his hand up to the light, filled with hope. Happy. Suddenly, a soft hand appears, reaching out, gently grasping the man's hand in hers. "I love you," she whispers as softly as the wind blowing on a calm day, slowly pulling him back towards the light, the beauty of the world. Then, more hands reach out, more voices speak. "Jessy, wake up, your nightmare has ended. Please, we're here, open your eyes..." They whisper, each voice a different one. "I'm scared." The man whispers back. The girl gently closes her hand around his, pulling his scared body back into the light. Into the happiness. Happiness. Love. No longer alone. No longer lost to the world. Alive. Happy, yet covered in scars, the man, boy still fights the dark. Struggles with his old fears. But.. No longer alone, no longer. Loveless, hopeless.
