A/N: This was inspired by Aine Deande's haunting vignette, Serpent's Eyes. I don't pretend to believe that this story is half as beautiful or as striking as hers, but I hope that you enjoy it, nevertheless.
Absolution
By Aezara He stares into nothingness. Observe his stillness; feel the chill of his shadow. His life was a long time ago. He was born. He was born crying for his mother. He was never held by his mother. He has no memories of his mother; she is a space in his mind as blank as his expression. Observe this expression. This man was not born blank. He entered the world screaming with emotion. He left the womb with a broken heart. He was born crying. He stopped crying when his father forgot him. He didn't say goodbye. His father never left him, but he became an omission. He was born with lion's eyes. His father never forgave him that. Observe his eyes. They were not always cold. Once they were warmed amber by a blanket of hope. Once they were able to reflect light. They absorbed it. He lost the light when he lost his ability to choose. His life was chosen for him; he was crammed into a dark box with hard corners that scarred him. He grew. He tried. He tried to leave the box, but it had molded to fit his form. He became a shadow. Observe this shadow. A shadow is only cast in the presence of light. Darkness is the opposite of light, but it cannot exist without it. This man's darkness was once a reflection of light. Now, it simply absorbs it. He has become a vortex into which all colors are infused, battered, and expulsed as black. He exudes pain. He took it in and swallowed it until there was no room for anything else. When it began to seep out through his eyes, they changed color. The lion was lost forever. Stand close to this man. Hear the hollow rattle of his heart. Watch his eyes. He stares into himself. Into nothingness. Nothingness is a paradox. It cannot exist, but it can be created. This man carved a life out of emptiness. No one ever tried to fill the void. No one ever tried to fall into his eyes. No one ever knew him. He never knew himself. He became no one. He was lost long ago. He was born dying. Stand near him. Feel that you are not detected. Feel the ice of his exclusion. Do you understand him yet? Have you recognized his fear? Can you feel the chill of his shadow? His shadow is his sorrow. You can never escape your shadow. This man was born with no escape. He has become a living regret. He stares into an empty life. Look into his eyes. They echo the oblivion of eternity. They have cracked. They have finally opened, and a single tear has fled the darkness. It glitters on his cheek for only a moment before it vanishes. A moment can last a lifetime. In one moment he saw everything, and the view from inside was devastating enough to allow the tear. It shimmered. It reflected the light. His eyes have absorbed the color of green light. He stares into nothingness as his body falls. Look down at what remains. Look into his eyes. They are weeping. Finis.
By Aezara He stares into nothingness. Observe his stillness; feel the chill of his shadow. His life was a long time ago. He was born. He was born crying for his mother. He was never held by his mother. He has no memories of his mother; she is a space in his mind as blank as his expression. Observe this expression. This man was not born blank. He entered the world screaming with emotion. He left the womb with a broken heart. He was born crying. He stopped crying when his father forgot him. He didn't say goodbye. His father never left him, but he became an omission. He was born with lion's eyes. His father never forgave him that. Observe his eyes. They were not always cold. Once they were warmed amber by a blanket of hope. Once they were able to reflect light. They absorbed it. He lost the light when he lost his ability to choose. His life was chosen for him; he was crammed into a dark box with hard corners that scarred him. He grew. He tried. He tried to leave the box, but it had molded to fit his form. He became a shadow. Observe this shadow. A shadow is only cast in the presence of light. Darkness is the opposite of light, but it cannot exist without it. This man's darkness was once a reflection of light. Now, it simply absorbs it. He has become a vortex into which all colors are infused, battered, and expulsed as black. He exudes pain. He took it in and swallowed it until there was no room for anything else. When it began to seep out through his eyes, they changed color. The lion was lost forever. Stand close to this man. Hear the hollow rattle of his heart. Watch his eyes. He stares into himself. Into nothingness. Nothingness is a paradox. It cannot exist, but it can be created. This man carved a life out of emptiness. No one ever tried to fill the void. No one ever tried to fall into his eyes. No one ever knew him. He never knew himself. He became no one. He was lost long ago. He was born dying. Stand near him. Feel that you are not detected. Feel the ice of his exclusion. Do you understand him yet? Have you recognized his fear? Can you feel the chill of his shadow? His shadow is his sorrow. You can never escape your shadow. This man was born with no escape. He has become a living regret. He stares into an empty life. Look into his eyes. They echo the oblivion of eternity. They have cracked. They have finally opened, and a single tear has fled the darkness. It glitters on his cheek for only a moment before it vanishes. A moment can last a lifetime. In one moment he saw everything, and the view from inside was devastating enough to allow the tear. It shimmered. It reflected the light. His eyes have absorbed the color of green light. He stares into nothingness as his body falls. Look down at what remains. Look into his eyes. They are weeping. Finis.