I'm trapped in a cage of my own making.

  And I'm dying.

  Slowly.

  And I don't know what I can do to stop it.

  Every cell of my being is being burnt away in this self-immolisation, this agonizing suicide.

  So slow.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  I can't escape it.

  I don't know how.

  Just make an effort to change, they all say, and I've spent countless hours, days, weeks on trying to improve myself.

  I'm dying so slowly.

  I can make this work. I can make this work. I can save myself.

  But it's so... agonizing. I keep wanting to distract myself from my pain, but if I do that I stop remembering that I am in in pain. Then I'll burn up before I can stop it.

  A delicate balance?

  I keep feeling like it's too late, but I'm too stubborn to accept it.

  The best time was then. The next best time is right now.

  It's already too late for a lot of things, but I can start doing things now.

  The pain means that I'm still alive.

  This... indescribable pain.