Loud Dark Tune

The music I hear, the one where everyone else seems deaf too, it's getting louder. Louder. Louder. And louder. Has it come to swallow me? To take my soul away? If so… why aren't I scared? I should be, I know I should, but I'm not. I remain calm.

The music has become deafening, but no one else seems to hear it. Have I gone mad? Crazy? Why am I the only one to hear this music? It's soft, and smooth, like the music coming from a music box, but there is none. But why am I the only one? Surely there has to be another. Another that can hear the music of the mad. There must be, for everything is being swallowed by the darkness that accompanies this strange music. I feel all alone. Alone. Deathly alone.

I ask them if they can hear it too, but they just shake their heads at me as if I am ill and ask if I'm alright. I just don't reply for I'm afraid I'll cry if I do. I wouldn't be able to stand them to see me cry, to see me so weak by this deafening music that only meets my ears.

Louder. Louder. Louder. It screams a deafening tune now. I cover my ears with my hands as I sink to my knees. Everything is deafened by the music now. I cannot hear the screams of worry as I shake uncontrollably. I want it gone. Gone. Gone. But it won't go. Why won't it go? Why won't it leave me alone? I know it mocks me with its cruel tone. I just want it to go. I want the crude music to leave now, but it just gets louder. Louder. Louder. It's so blinding that the hands on my shoulders which shake me as to awaken me are now just a faraway dream. That's right. A dream that's out of my reach.

I am now surrounded by an abyss of just that strange music. It continues to play its cruel tune. Mocking me with its rhyme. I know it is. It wants to see how far I will break, to see how far back I can bend. It sees me as a joke, a doll to which it must find out its capability till it finally snaps and the game is gone.

Sinking. Sinking. Sinking. I'm sinking to the depths of this hollow darkness. I have gotten far too used to the sound. It makes me forget things over time until its tune is all I remember. The only thing I remember is the echo of a name… Oz. It must be my name right? Oz? It must be or this blasted tune wouldn't let me remember it. Maybe it has become merciful. Yeah. Merciful.

Softer. Softer. Softer. It's strange isn't it? The tune I had come far too used to, the tune that has caused me to forget, the tune that has become deafening is becoming softer. It's so soft I can barely hear it, but I know it is there. It will always be there till the end of time. I'm sure of it.

The darkness the tune has kept me in is finally breaking away. I am able to see light, colors even though they are a blur. But I'll take it no matter what if it keeps the crude music away. I'll take it no matter what.

I hear myself grunt as I open my heavy eyelids, then the sound of furniture squeaking as it skids across the wooden floor. There is a blur of black and brown as they sway into my vision along with gold and black. There are shouts. They are becoming louder with each passing second until I can make them out.

"Oz!"

They shout. Over and over and over again. It's as if they are on repeat to replay the same thing over and over again.

Oz… that is the name I remember. So it is my name then. I was right. Then that means they know me… but if they know me, I must know them, right?

As my vision clears enough to see them perfectly, I don't recognize them. They both have smiles. Smiles of relief. I want to feel relived too, but I don't know them. The next words that come from my cracked lips make the smiles go away and their eyes widen.

"W-who are you?"