Black..

RUN!

That was the only thought running through his mind at that very second.  How ironic, even thoughts were going faster at that point in time.  He managed to remove the insistence of his legs to remain rooted to the spot where he stood watching it come closer by the second.  The blackness bearing down on him had been following in the distance for days.  It wasn't until just now it had made it's move and he realized that he'd have been better off with as much distance between him and it as he could.

So he ran.  Through the trees he ran, as fast as he could.  The branches whipped at him and tore at his clothes and face.  No doubt there was blood mingling with the sweat, but he didn't care, much less notice.  Whether or not he was even breathing was a non-issue so long as he propelled himself forward in the opposite direction of it.

Quite a few days ago he noticed something a little different.  Something that hadn't been there before.  He didn't pay it any mind at the time because it was a small thing.  Not so much small as in size but small as in importance.  You see, it had always kind of been with him.  At times he would roll it around, maybe give it a toss because it was familiar, like a toy you've had for years and just rediscovered.  Or, that activity you used to do all the time because you enjoyed so much but somewhere along the way it got buried in the pile of newspapers that is life.

Yes, it was small as in importance, but a little different this time.  He noticed it too and it intrigued him and so he held it closer.  In his spare time he studied it.  Tried to learn what made it tick, what made itself interesting to him.  After a while something began to form in it.  Something he wanted.  Something he thought he recognized.  He began to obsess over it.  Knowing, but he didn't care he began to spend more time with it as it was comforting.  Soon, it was all he could do to tear himself away from it.

And then it began to change.  One morning he woke from a fitful sleep and noticed that it had begun to grow on him.  It was not painful, in fact it fed him.  Fed a desire.  A primal desire that he had managed to bury deep within.  This thing, new and strange and comforting and frightful all at the same time, had become a friend at some point.  One he couldn't do without.  He could feel it drawing him in.  Convincing him to allow it to give him control, and for a while he listened, and it felt good.

Then it changed, and it began to change him.  Slowly, he almost didn't realize it at first, the pushing people away.  The resentment that was welling up inside for those he used to call friend.  It was then that it occurred to him what was happening, and so he tried to put it away.  He tried to cut it off, but each morning it would return.  Eventually he began to realize the pain.  It was eating him from the inside out.  Panic began to set in.  What could he do?  Who could he blame?  No one!  He had invited it in and nurtured it and now it was consuming him from the inside out like a parasite!  Then it occcurred to him.  He had to forget it.

Coffee, lots of coffee.  He had locked himself in this room and hadn't slept in days.  But it was working, he could feel it getting smaller by the hour.  It was leaving him.  Perhaps it was the stench he thought.  Lack of hygiene and facilites was taking it's toll but it was working!

Eventually sleep overpowered the caffiene.  He crashed and he dreamed.  He was young again, running through the woods he knew so well with the sun streaming through the leaves.  But then something changed. It started to get dark.  He looked up, and it was as if an eclipse was starting.  The blackness was getting larger...   and closer...  He woke with a start!  Or did he?  The blackness still seemed to be growing but this time the smell of trees and woods was replaced by the stench of unwashed human.  Still the blackness grew.  So he got out as quick as he could. and ran.

Through the trees and the dark, but still the blackness pursued.  He ran and ran.  The blood and the sweat he could taste as it ran down his face and into his mouth, but he didn't care.  Why oh why did he not realize it's true nature all those weeks ago!  This fleeing for his life from this black magic could have been avoided had he just left well enough alone and been content with his life, but no!  Just like he always did, he had to have more.  Had to have new.  Had to have exciting.

He ran.  Ran until his lungs burned.  Ran until his heart was about to burst from his chest.  Ran until the bones in his legs began to shatter from the pounding.  RUN!

It was gone.  The blackness seemed to have vanished!  He had escaped!  Then it all began to close in around him as if someone was closing the opening of the paper bag they had him in.  It closed in and he collapsed face first in the mud in the middle of the forest in which he had practically flown.

Hours passed.  Or was it days?  Did it matter?  Next thing he realized was the darkness and how tiny he felt.  Where was he?  He wasn't sure, but all he knew was that he saw her.  She was barely paying him any mind because he was such a small thing.  Not so much small as in size but small as in importance.  She didn't so much notice the darkness of it's appearance the first time as much as she noticed the familiarity, as if he had always been with her...