The base of the door scraped in protest against the wooden entrance as it was wrenched open. His footsteps echoed down the cold, stone corridor. Other than that, it was completely silent.
For now...
He continued his walk to the end of the corridor, where his destination was. His steps were calm, measured and assured, but his thoughts were in total disarray.
He'd been confident when he started. He'd been so certain that this was the right way to get what he wanted: to get complete submission and acceptance. He hadn't expected it to take this long but it had. It had been months since it had begun. He had wanted to stop earlier but the resistance had been high.
So damn high...
But it would be over soon. Now he'd be able to collect his prize. He'd earned it. He was sure he had.
But was this right? Is this right...?
No. It wasn't, was it? He was riddled with guilt but was at the stage where he couldn't even turn back, and forget it had ever happened. The damage had already been done; just how much remained to be seen. But whatever eventually happened, he knew that it would be entirely his fault. There would be nowhere else to place the blame. His arrogance had ruined him. He had made the final call and gone through with this stupid idea; he hadn't listened to reason or to the people who were giving him good advice. He'd only listened to himself, and to his desperation to get what he wanted: to have something that was undeniably, indisputably and willingly his.
You're completely insane. This is anything but 'willing'-
"Shut up! I know that now..."
His head was pounding from the conflicting thoughts, all of them fighting and screaming to be heard. It felt as though they were trying to claw their way out from the front of his skull and his steps faltered slightly as he clutched it in pain. But it was a small price to pay. He deserved a lot more for what he'd done.
He stopped completely, the revelation that he'd been fighting off for weeks dawning with sickening clarity.
This was depraved.
What the hell had he been thinking? Hadn't he seen how bad things were getting? That this couldn't ever be considerednormal and couldn't be justified by anything?
Why doubt yourself now? You're nearly there; one final push and it will all be yours! It's too late to change anything so it'spointless regretting this-
But I'll never be forgiven...I've cut too deep-
So?! Who cares about forgiveness when you've got what you want? You can't be opposed by anyone. Don't forget who you are!
I'm not forgetting anything ! I'm remembering a lot more than I ever have. This ends today.
Like hell it DOES-
TODAY .
He strode down the corridor with renewed vigour, almost breaking into a run. He couldn't change anything that had happened already. That was true. But he could make a start. How many times had he had to walk down this dark, dank tunnel before he realised that he was as sick and twisted as he'd been told? How many nights had to have been spent alone in his empty bed, in his gigantic room, feeling even emptier inside before he realised that this wasn't the way to go about this; that this would only make matters worse? He'd been a complete fool. No, he couldn't change what he'd already done but he could try to make things better, from today onwards.
As he drew closer to the end of the passage, he started feeling dizzy. Something wasn't right...besides this.
He reached the end and turned right, opening another protesting door. It was even darker inside.
He flicked a switch on the wall next to him, and the dusty, grey bulb cast a dim light over the room. But it was enough to see inside...
To see his prisoner.
It was too quiet. By this point, he would've heard something. Bitter curses, foul tirades or even dry, defeated sobs. At the very least, shallow breathing. But there was nothing.
Nothing but his own heavy, panicked breaths as he quickly realised something was very, very wrong.
He fumbled with his phone, turning on its torch to illuminate the cell. The light shone over the crimson liquid pooling out from underneath the unmoving body lying on the floor.
So very still.
He was a fucking fool.
Today was too late.