Time goes into a standstill. My body tenses up. My breathing stops. The anxiety and dread that’s gnawing on me pause. That wasn’t my voice. What was it then? It rings inside my head, just like my thoughts. But it’s not me. It’s something else. Its voice was… Otherworldly, like a thousand different voices combined. Hearing it makes me want to vomit, but I cmp my mouth shut. I can’t ruin the bed further.

  “Oh my. I didn’t even stop the time, and you’re frozen in pce.” It rings again. The sound rattles my brain. Moving it around my skull. I want to scream. Its voice tears my mind into shreds. But I can’t. Just as It says, I’m stuck. Frozen in pce.

  My mind fights for consciousness, battling with the unknown voice inside. My peripheral vision slowly goes dark, I’ve not taken a breath since that voice rang for the first time. My mouth and throat dries out of moisture. So do the eyes, the tears evaporate, leaving them burning with pain.

  “You can move, you know. I see you’ve gotten comfortable with the Void. Unable to act freely, have your every move dictated by It. Like a marionette, just like what you’ve said.” Each word assaults my mind, breaking down every defense my mind tries to put up. I try to answer, but all that comes up is incoherent chokes and cries. It ughs haughtily. It ughs at my situation.

  “Hah… An interesting thing you are, always entertaining me. Breathe, Sera. I command you to.” And so I do. All goes into motion again. I gasp for air, my breathing erratic. Eyes go into panic, blinking frantically in an attempt to rehydrate them. My body shuts down as it falls, releasing its tension. All goes back to normal. All except the stinging ache in my head. It stays. As long as the voice stays, my mind will suffer from it.

  “Aw, don’t be like that. I came here to praise you, after all.” From this Being? What have I done to receive its praise?

  “Think it through, Sera. I like seeing the cogs in your brain turn and click.” Think… Okay, that’s something I can do. But where do I start?

  “Wherever your heart desires.” Heart… What does it want? I move my hand from the knees and grasp my chest. I frown, it’s bnk. I feel nothing. Squeezing it tighter doesn’t seem to bring up answers either.

  “I see you’re still quite lost, that’s okay. Don’t stir too far, Sera. You have your starting point, but it’s exiled from your mind as soon as you spiral. Let me remind you. Praise.” Ah, right. That’s where I should start. I loosen the grip on my chest and close my eyes.

  Praise… Why does It want to praise me? Have I done something extraordinary? I don’t think so. I don’t think I can either. I’ve done nothing but wail and sob ever since I arrived. Yet It still wants to praise me. Weird.

  Did It even praise me? Oh, It did. “You’re spot on.” It said. It praised me for being correct. Wait… I was right?

  A fresh wave of terror washes over me. That was just a random guess… There’s no way that’s happening to me, right?

  About me, being a piece of entertainment?

  “Hehe, look at you. All frightened.” That’s not a direct answer. Is It avoiding the question? Or is It toying with me?

  “There you go, that’s a smart girl right there.” Another one of those answers… It’s starting to irk me now. Can we get to the point as soon as possible? My anxiety is at an all-time high because of this.

  “Oh… Interesting.” Its tone shifts into a mix of surprise and amusement. I wonder why? Have I done something good again?

  “Yes, yes you’ve.” A pause. It’s waiting for me to respond, but I don’t do anything because I’m too damn tired to do so. My heart feels like it’s entangled by chains that’re slowly compressing tighter.

  A huff from It, “Alright. I’ll give you the answer you’ve been craving for.” My chest compresses further, and the whole body tenses up again. This is it.

  “You’re correct on your guesses. You will become a piece of entertainment for my needs, and a toy for me to py with.” I don’t know how to react. It’s a mishmash of emotions, it’s nauseating. I can feel the contents of my stomach traveling to my mouth.

  “I’ll smash your skull if you let it out.” My body freezes, and I inwardly swallow it back. Small beads of tears began to form at the corner of my eyes.

  “Good girl.” I stay silent, wiping the tears so they won’t fall onto the bed.

  “Well, there’s your answer. Do you like it or not? Tell.” I don’t know the answer to that question. I feel… armingly numb about all this. The pressure on my chest has been alleviated, they no longer coil around it. Am I really okay living like this?

  “I won’t ask again if you like it or not. But the st question, I’m sure you know the answer.” Its tone is teasing. Do I really? After a long pause of thinking, I understand what It’s talking about. It knows, It remembers. Had It been stalking me my whole life?

  “I suppose, you can say that.” That expins why It knows my name, and everything else. My whole life had been tied on a leash by one person and another.

  I can’t decide what’s best for me, they decide what’s best for me. Even if I hate it, I can’t resist. I’ll follow their orders, I never got to know what’s free will. That’s the only way for me to survive. Controlled by others.Maybe this is the reason why I feel okay living as an entertainment for It? I let out a shaky breath, and curl up into a ball. There’s still that small part inside my heart that aches, it ignites and burns. It doesn’t want to give up, it doesn’t want to be controlled. But all I can do is bury it deeper, and hope it won’t come back.

  “What if told you, you can have your own free will? Live as you please and be your own self?” It offers, all so suddenly. The offer makes the fire burn brighter until it combusts like a grenade — scorching through every part of the heart. My head spins, and the feeling overwhelms me.

  A chuckle from It, “Your body doesn’t want to give up just yet. So, do you want to py along? You just need to nod yes or no.” The fire engulfs all other feelings, and my body moves on its own.

  It nods in agreement.

  “Hehe, I see. You accept then.” I do not. It was my body that moved. Not me. That wasn’t fair at all.

  “Too te, bme the unrelenting spirit in your body then.” I doubt that feeling was even mine. You maniputed my feelings.

  “Even though I’m quite alluring… I don’t posses the ability to charm people.” I frown, huffing away. How the hell can I live freely whilst also being leashed for entertainment? After the question, the burning feeling dies down. Finally, it understands. It understand that all of this is… a trap.

  “Now now, let’s not jump to conclusions. It’s nothing like that. You’ll earn your freedom.” The word ‘earn’ perks my ears. I’ve to fight so I can live freely?

  “Oh, you weren’t supposed to know that yet.” What? It’s the one who told me, no? “Well, yes. But it was a slip of the tongue. Forget it for now, we’ll discuss it tomorrow.” I hesitantly nod. What’s the difference anyway? I’ve been fighting for freedom my whole life, and never got to experience it. My mood dampens at the thought.

  “Hehe, don’t worry. I’ll make it fair.” I’m not sure about that. I mean, what’s stopping It from bending and changing the rules of… whatever my task is?“Didn’t I tell you to not jump to conclusions? Stop that. Else I’ll tear your body limb by limb.” Its tone drips with malice. And it works too. I immediately stop thinking.

  “Good. Now, trust me when I say you’re more than capable of achieving this… freedom.” I look down at my scrawny figure. Doubt pools my mind.

  “Hey, most of your kind would be cwing their ears out so they won’t hear my voice, or their eyes starts to bleed. Sure at the start you wanted to do the same, but your body adapts quickly.” Uh… thanks? I guess? I mean, I’m not sure if I should be fttered by the compliment. If it is even one.

  “It is! And yes, you should! Most of you would—” It was cut off by the chimes of time. It’s not a ticking sound like in the Void. Its chimes are simir to the ones the grandfather clocks produce.

  “Ah, time is up then. Or well, it is soon to be.” What? Is It talking about my time here?

  “No. It’s mine. You should sleep now, get some rest. As promised, we’ll talk about any confusion you’ve left tomorrow.” I guess… I should let it go for now. My eyes are getting droopy anyway.

  “Very well then. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sera.” Yeah, I guess I’ll see you too tomorrow, whatever you are.

  “Hehe, you’ll soon know. I’m happy with how you’re softening up to me.” I don’t think that’s the case. I’m just tired. And well, forced to.

  “Aw, fair enough. Goodnight.” After the voice leaves, my body sms into the pillows. Before drifting off.

  ***

  Author’s Note: A bit te, sorry for that! Hope you guys enjoy~