Explanation of chapter 22: Regression
Ari's point of view
It's difficult to remain awake. I can see him as he plays an invisible puppet show over my chest, shame reddening my face as more pairs of eyes landed on my bare frame. It's… unusually warm. It feels comfortable, here…
I cannot remain on that subject. If I am to die, I want to know what kills me. I will not die ignorant to my surroundings.
He smirks at me and his hand grazes my cheek – I snap at him angrily. I do not want his disgusting hands on my skin. He frowns but says nothing, his days as a puppeteer clearly over. Though, as soon as he ends his show, I feel… tired. More so than before. Exhausted, actually… if it wasn't for the fear I could probably fall asleep right here and now. But I can't… He's staring straight at me, right into my eyes. I feel lost as soon as I look at him. Where am I, again…?
No! No. I am in The End, of this I am certain. I was… kidnapped? Yes, that is all I can think that happened.
My name. My name, what is my…-Ari! My name is Arimoko. Those who love me call me Ari. I…I was raised in the desert. Why did I leave… why… fire. I remember fire, that's for certain. And… screaming. Crying. I think it was… I think it was me. I think I was crying and screaming. I remember heat… and fear… and hunger, and…-pain. An arrow, I believe, in my side. I remember climbing down a…rock? Or was it a hill? Surely it had to be bigger than the average hill, it seems so sad to think about crawling over such a thing…
Vreagon. Mor. My friends. My family. Duck! Oh, that poor chicken, he's probably so hungry… and scared without me. I wonder if it's storming…
Aah… I can't feel anything beneath my waist. I can't seem to move my head, either- wait. What is he forcing me to drink! I try to spit it back up, perhaps in his face, but I cannot seem to bring my body to cooperate. My god, I can't gain control… what is he going to do to me? Is he going to rape me?
No, no. He seems to be in an entirely different mindset. Torture? But what do I have that he wants? I don't have anything! He has everything that was important to me, what more could he want?
My life. I still have my life. Is that what he wants? But for what, I wonder…?
He comes closer to me with another bottle, this one an entirely different color. Though I cannot move I manage to pull my head back in attempts to avoid him – all it does is make him chuckle. I can feel hot tears on my cheeks, but I can't move to wipe them away. I feel a slight sensation of a hand along my hip, but I can't squirm away. He does not move into improper territory, to my relief-… another bottle? I already feel so… so weak… It's a chore just to open my eyes…
He tips the bottle to my lips and I find that I can no longer move away. I think I give some sort of sound, as I hear a sort of mumble in my ears and he chuckles darkly, nodding.
"I know, sweetheart." He says softly, and my insides churn in disgust at his pet name. "It will all be over soon, I promise you."
Over? What will be over? What was he…he…-
Where am I…? I… I feel like I should know, but I don't… It isn't any place I've ever seen before- who is that man? He's leaning over me, he looks so…pleased… did I do something amusing? I could use a laugh right now. I…I think. Right? Why can't I remember anything?
Home. Think about home. …Where was home? And how old am I…? What is my name? Why can't I remember these things! I should know them! They should be simple, impulsive, so why-
Snow. It was snowing everywhere, I remember that. I remember thinking… I remember thinking that it was strange for snow to be falling in the desert. I remembered thinking to myself that it was some sort of miracle, a gift from the Heavens. My mother had prayed the night before, and so we believed that we were finally going to be saved…