"Good morning Albert."

A sharp pain made me jump up making me hit something hard.

"What the hell?" I looked down on my chest, a dagger was stuck were my heart was. I looked up and saw the devil. She was rubbing her forehead, she looked at me as if experiencing great injustice.

"Y- you have a strange humor, waking me up like this."

"Heh, does it hurt? I told you I would get you for yesterday. So does it hurt? Are you hurt? Do you want to apologize for being a naughty boy?"

Did it hurt? Hell yes, it felt like a hot knife is stuck in my heart. There was no blood though. I was once struck with a knife and this feels a thousand times worse.

"Well, you got me. I have fallen into despair already."

"Yes, yes this is to be expected." She grinned and nodded three times.

"Now can you be so kind and make the dagger vanish."

"Why? It can be stuck in your chest forever for all I care."

"Aiya, well if you don't want to make your hands dirty I'll do it."

I grabbed the handle of the dagger and pulled it out. Pulling it out was almost as painful as getting it rammed into my chest.

"Fascinating after pulling it out I get a feeling of freshess."

"It must be that damned dark speck inside your soul."

"Well anyway, you can have your dagger back I don't want it."

With a quick motion I threw the dagger. The dagger shined a cold light flashing towards her.

A look of disbelief was cast on her face. She didn't expect me to throw the dagger.

She didn't even react, the moment the dagger touched her skin it shattered.

"You... Do you know what you have just done?"

"I gave you back the dagger?"

"You- Good, good. I was hoping that you would make a mistake so I can punish you. For you to do such an outrageous act, I'm impressed. You have much more guts than I thought boy."

"I was hoping for that, punish me as much as you want. I won't take orders from little brats."

"You was hoping for it? Now I'm intrigued." She raised a brow.

"Aren't you curious as well? I wonder what will happen if this dark speck inside of me grows. Don't you want to find out?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd ask me. To be honest I can't wait and find out. There a few things that can move me.That tiny speck, I wonder what will happen if it grows."

"Good, than let's cut all the pretense and get right into it. Punish me, torture me, cut me into pieces and make me despair."

"You are quite the madman."

"Madman huh? You could say that applies." I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well after I work on you we'll find out if it holds any truth. Don't chicken out on me boy." She looked like a little girl that is about to go to the amusement park.

You could see the joy and anticipation on her face, it was much more sinister thought.

"Before we get started I need to know your name. You promised after all."

"Right, right. I promised after all. Can't have you think of me as a woman that doesn't keep her promises. My name is Eliza, now let's start shall we?"

This could be the worst choice of my life, I was never the type who made the best choices, so what does it matter? At least I stayed true to myself, I only hoped that I can say that after she tries to break me.

"Let's do it baby."

With a flick of her finger I got teleported. She brought me in some kind of torture chamber. There were a lot of heavy machinery and even a wooden horse. Damn this looks more like a BDSM studio.

"So what do you think? Do you like it here? This is my personal torture chamber. You can count yourself lucky not every one can take peek inside."

"I'm flattered. You have quite the taste. A wooden horse? A classic."

"Hoo, you seem to know your stuff but we aren't going to use any of the equipment."

"What a waste."

"These are more for personal use, also what I'm going to do is much more painful." She had a big smirk on her face.

"I can't wait. What do I have to do?"

"It's simple first let me find out your worst fear." She slowly approached me while looking deep into my eyes.

It was much more like looking into the eyes of the devil.

For the first time real fear crept up sending shivers down my spine.

She stopped just before our bodies touched. I could feel her breath on my face.

"Are you finish yet?"

"Shhh, be quite." She put her index finger on my lips. Her voice neither cold nor warm.

I had the urge to fool around but couldn't do it, I was stunned.

"So this is your worst fear. This is quite rare, most of the poor souls fear pain the most. Yet you fear losing your freedom the most."

She took her finger back and licked it while chuckling.

I had a bad feeling, this is not what I had expected. I can tolerate pain to some degree but if she uses my worst fear against me I won't know how I will fare.

"Hah, do you think you can scare me?"

"We will see. How about being locked up for a thousand years for a start."

"You got me, there is personal hell for all, for you to chose mine you have done your job well."

"Hehe, finally words that make sense." Eliza had a bashful smile while rubbing her nose.

"So when do we begin."

"Now."

My vision begun to dim before turning completely dark I saw her beautiful face. Her red eyes were looking at me with anticipation. There was no hatred nor pity, just pure curiosity.

- - - - -

This place was dark, not even a speck of light could be seen. I didn't know how big this room was but it seemed endless yet not. My hand and feet were tied up and I could feel the cold steel of the shackles on my wrist.

The day wasn't even over and I started to become restless.

There were no indication of time and space. No wind or even a breeze, only the darkness and coldness embraced me. I decided to close my eyes and sleep. The moment I closed my eyes I heard a beastly roar from a far.

So you try to keep me awake huh?

I yet again closed my eyes and the roar came closer and closer. I tried to ignore it until that thing was so close to me that I could smell its foul breath. It smelled like someone took a shit and didn't flush for eons.

Opening my eyes was akin to submitting to Eliza, so what if a smelly beast is behind me. My freedom is taken, if I can't even chose to close my eyes then what kind of man am I?

The smell got more an more intense until I could feel its sharp teeth on my neck. It didn't bite down yet, it seemed to wait.

Keep my eye closed.

Suddenly a sharp pain made me open my eyes, my head got served from my body. I didn't even have the time to cry. After I thought everything was over I was in the darkness again and everything seemed fine.

You could say what you want but this girl really knows how to push my buttons.

- - - -

Day two, more or less. I didn't even had an ounce of sleep. After losing my head last time I didn't feel like sleeping much. I wonder why our souls need rest. Maybe they don't, who knows.

I tried to trick the beast by closing my eyes in intervals, but that bastard is clever and killed me after it found out my plan.

It will get more and more difficult. I'm tired of this already.

- - - - - -

Day whatever, I'm starting to become insane, it feels like an eternity already. How much till a thousand years? I'm constantly tired and fall asleep all the time, who knows how many times I died by that beast.

I even tried to talk to it but I got no response. It only comes when I try to sleep.

_ _ _ _ _

"You bastard come and get me, I'm going to sleep.YOU DARE KILL ME?"

I screamed and screamed, I don't know for how long. Time in here has no relevance.

- - - -

I died over and over, thoughts are an interesting concept. It whispers to me, giving me hope. Hope? In this god forsaken place?

- - - -

I noticed that my thought pattern has changed. Interesting, since I have only my thoughts in this damned place I recognize the change.

- - - -

This endless mind of mine won't stop. I was beginning to get tired on my own voice in my head. My thoughts are filled with self pity and anguish. When will it stop?

- - - -

"Please let me out. I give up. I can't endure any longer." I cried but there were no tears. I can't even grief for my own pitiful self.

- - - -

I must have lived a lifetime here already. I have stopped counting how many times I died by that beast. To my surprise I didn't turn into a vegetable yet, must me that speck of darkness inside my soul.

Speaking of the dark speck, I wonder, when will I get my awesome powers. How much does it need to be fed?

- - - -

"So how was your day Wilson?"

"Oh, it was quite fine. I had diner with my wife and kids."

"Really? That sounds great, what did you have for diner?"

"We had stuffed turkey. It was a great feast."

"Is it thanks giving already? Man, how the time flies."

"How can't you know what today is? Oh, right you are in that place."

"Yes unfortunately I'm here. You are lucky not to be here."

"When you get out we are gonna have a feast. How about it?"

"Sounds great. What would I be without you Wilson."

"A big mess?"

"Hehe, you were always the funny guy. Greet your wife and kids."

"Sure will do."

"Tell your kids to live filled with good deeds. You don't want them to end here."

- - - -

"Wilson are you there?"

"..."

"Wilson... Wilson... Wilson!"

"What?"

"Where were you man, I was scared for a moment."

"I'm sorry Frank, it's just I was busy. You know my eldest son is going to marry."

"I'm sure he'll marries a fine woman."

"Of course he is my son after all. Anyway, I catch up to you later."

"Yes do that. We'll see each other."

"Sure."

- - - -

"Wilson? Are you there?"

"..."

"Wilson?"

"..."

"It can't be. No, maybe he is just busy."

_ _ _ _

"Wilson?"

"..."

- - - -

"Wilson hello? Please answer me."

"..."

"No, you can't abandon me. How can you be so cruel, not while I'm rotting in hell."

"You are a bastard. How could I have ever offered you my friendship."

"Now, now. Frank, that's not a nice thing to say."

"Ah, Wilson... I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. We still cool right?"

"Listen Frank. I can't be with you anymore. My wife is already complaining that I spent too much time with you. You know, I got grand children now and we have our hands full caring for them."

"I see, in the end even you abandon me."

"You are funny man, I'm not abandoning you. You are abandoning yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you that stupid or do you think I'm really here? You are talking to yourself. "

"What are you saying Wilson?"

"Now you are getting delusional. You even named me Wilson like in that movie with Tom Hanks."

"What?"

"You know that movie where Tom Hanks is stranded on an island and made himself an imaginary friend calling him Wilson."

"..."

"You loved that movie or do I say we loved it. Now this is getting all complicated."

"I see, you are not abandoning me. Since you are just an imagination of mine."

"Right, now you get it. Finally, I'm going now. We won't see each other anymore. I'm sorry to say that but I've got a life to live, I'm getting old. I can't always be there for you."

"You are right I was too selfish.Thank you for being there with me. You made everything more bearable."

"That what friends are for right. Frank, you need to endure don't lose yourself. Remember, that's what you wanted. See it to end, my friend."

"I will my friend, fare well."

"Fare well."

- - - -

I came to the realization that I was never free. Even if I thought I was free, in the end I was just a bird in a cage.

To be really free I needed to get rid off the shackles of my mind. I can't be a slave to my self pitying ego. To the ego that feeds off my suffering.

I will let my thoughts pass like the river of time.

I will listen to the voice of my core, the core of my very being that was overshadowed by my ever complaining mind. When I feel pain, I will feel every part of it, I will observe it, like a neutral observer.

When I'm freed of my minds dominance, then I would have the foundation to work to real freedom. Even fate wouldn't stop me from getting what I want nor any gods.

Yes mark my words. When I get out there will be bloodshed. I will kill those who decided I deserve hell.