He Who Increases Knowledge
Your pulse quickens. Your heart is caught in your throat. "I will help you to see," says the gentle voice. Numerous oil lanterns from all around the room come to life. Their light starts low, but soon grows in intensity. Once you can see, you are aware of one lone man in the center of the room, sitting in an antique rocking chair. He has a long beard, a simple white straw fedora, many tattoos on his arms, and a leather apron. His eyes are keenly focused on you. They are wide and wild. You meet his gaze for only a few seconds before looking away. Then a thought enters your mind. Chances are good that he has been sitting in that chair since before you walked into the room, yet all of the lanterns in the room require someone to light them with a match or other source of flame. Additionally, they all came on at once. "Don't think about it. It'll hurt if you do."
He can read your thoughts. It's hard to figure out if that is frightening, or a consolation.
"Perhaps a little bit of both," he says with a faint smile. "Please, sit down. I'll tell you why you're here."
The man gestures to a stool a few feet away that you would have sworn wasn't there a few moments ago.
"I said don't think about it," says the man. His tone isn't so kind and gentle this time. This time it was more of a warning.
You sit down on the stool and face the man. His smile returns. Something about it makes you not want to look him in the eyes, but you do so anyway. His eyes are like deep empty pools, dark and foreboding. Part of you thinks you are staring into the face of evil.
"Maybe it is," says the man, his smile growing a bit bigger. "You've come here for a reason. Let me tell you what that reason is. Are you comfortable?"
Far from it, but you know that complaining about it will do you no good. Some part of you also thinks he asked more out of facetiousness than anything else. The man just waits patiently. After a few more awkward seconds you nod your head to signal to the man that you are ready for him to continue.
"Let us continue then," says the man. His smile has faded, but his wide-eyed intensity has only grown. "Right here, right now, I am known as Bray Wyatt. Only lost souls seek me out. Their reason for doing so is not a given. Not all who search find me. In fact, only the most desperate ever truly find me. You. You must be one of those desperate souls. Now, I don't care why you sought me out. It really isn't important to me. The fact that you found me, that's what's important to me. So, stay. Sit with me here. We have nothing but time. Now, I do not offer you comfort. I do not offer you understanding. I do not offer you truth. I offer you knowledge. Simply knowledge. If knowledge brings you those other things, then so be it. Are you ready? Well? Are you? Don't say yes until you're sure. For once you say yes, there's no turning back. Take some time to think it over. Remember, we have nothing but time."
To be continued…
