As you stare into the distance you spot the dim glowing eyes of the monster. The same one that murdered your family, and slaughtered friends. Hatred seeps into your veins as you gaze into its eyes, into that pit filled with malice and hate… or is it sorrow and regret?
You should really stop looking at that damn mirror. -- Anon Guest
There was something wrong with the dark in this place. Jay liked the dark, it helped them feel safe. But this dark... wasn't dark. There was a light they couldn't see until he looked in the mirror and saw...
...the shape of a scrawny youth with glowing spots where their eyes should be, Hunched and guarded. Ready to strike at any threat.
But Jay could not strike. They took their knife away before the others put them in this place. This padded, pastel-beige nightmare, where the only colour was the bubbling green tubes or whatever the others made them watch on the vid screen. Everything but the tubes and screen seemed to be made out of paper. Easily torn, if Jay wanted to tear it.
Jay had a choice between wearing a dress or wearing a shirt and pants. There were no shoes, but they could have paper socks on demand. The same way they could have any food they could name. Jay did not understand why the others did this.
Jay, having never encountered mercy in their life, did not understand mercy. They understood this... habitat... as a kind of zoo enclosure. A monster made comfortable while the others figured out exactly what to do with their exhibit.
The screen flickered on, and Jay turned away from the monster in the mirror. Facing the figure on the screen. They were... uncertain.
It was uncertain how old this figure was. Uncertain whether they were male or female. Uncertain where they were, because the background showed a night sky and stars. Uncertain what they were feeling, because the face was constantly neutral. Uncertain whether they were tanned or black.
Jay defaulted to assessing this screen-wrought stranger as a threat. It had kept them alive so far. They put their back against the wall and kept themself ready for any attack.
"Hello, Jay," said the level, calm voice. "I see you're still in the dark."
"Not real dark," said Jay. "There's a light. I can see it in my eyes."
"We do have to monitor you," said the stranger. "We have to be certain that you aren't hurting yourself. We have to be ready to help you."
"Why?" said Jay. "Why do you care? I'm a monster. I murdered my family, and a lot others, too."
"You are still a person," said the stranger. "We have examined your case and found that the famillicide is simply a Last Straw Revenge. As for the others... you have a knack for identifying the true cause of social troubles in your environment. Eliminating those problems had few avenues. Well, few outside of Pax Humanis."
Jay had no idea where that was. "What do you want? I should be dead."
The impassive face actually raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to die?" For the first time, there was an emotion. Confusion.
Jay had to think about that. "No?"
"Very well. Then we can work together on your rehabilitation." A smile, but not like any smile Jay had known before. This one was... genuine. "Would you like to know about Pax Humanis?"
"If it lets me kill dirtbags? Sure."
[Photo by HONG KYU PARK on Unsplash]
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