'Don't panic. Don't panic. He's not real. Calm down you idiot. He's not there. He can't hurt you. You escaped. He can't hurt you. He's not real!'
"Oh but Sammy! If I'm not real, then how can I do this? And this?"
'The blood. The pain. The fire. The torturous, burning scrawling knife, dancing, etching artwork deep into my peeling skin. The cruel, cruel joyous smile seeped into his face. The purity of his joy. The stretching, popping, itching pain, that niggling constant pain. Mind burning to its fiery grave, pressing, pushing behind my eyes.'
"That's it Sammy, there you go! It all makes sense now doesn't it? You never left. Your still there. Still stuck in that fiery cage; with me.'
"No! No! No!"
'The blood pumping through my splitting veins. Pounding, dripping, drooling out my scorched ears. The knife reaching under every inch of open flesh, searching, discovering every inch of untouched innards.'
"Stop fooling yourself Sammy"
'The coals, burning black with heat forcing through my back.'
"You stay away from me!'
'The crisp, scorched, peeling skin.'
"Come join me Sammy"
'Every individual toughened joint popping free.'
"I said stay back!"
'The blood. So much blood. Blotting, dripping, streaming, escaping through every torn unnatural opening.'
"It's easy Sammy."
"NO!"
'Worthless air, searing down my throat, crippling my lungs with every desperate attempt.'
"One spot."
"No!"
'Scorched flesh. Seared lungs. The final beat of an abused heart. A broken body. An absent soul.'
"One movement."
"No."
'Fresh, clean, untouched flesh. Moistened lungs. Natural, pumping heart. A body prepared to be broken…again and again.'
"One bullet."
"Yes."