The light fills the emptiness of his mind. The light is painful. The light is suffering. He must find the source of the light and snuff it out. He must return to the dark. He rushes into the light, his body furious. There are forms here, things in the light. They bark at him, making hideous sounds. He must stop the sounds. He must erase the forms. His body moves with the habit of violence. His hands reach out and the forms scream. The forms crunch and spill red. The red is hot on his skin. His body tells him this is good. The violence of his body is mirrored in his mind, and the light dims. With every form that is snuffed out a little of the darkness returns. The darkness is good, better than the light. There is no pain in the dark. No suffering. The light is red and warm. The next form screams. It breaks easily in his hands and the screaming ceases. But the forms do not diminish, he cannot snuff out all of them. They surround him, barking. The barking has rhythm. It has form. The form takes shape in his mind, pushing the violence from him. His hands are red and wet. The earth is red and wet. He can see the dark and the light in his mind, sensing both, consumed by neither. Between them is his own form, the shape of himself, gray and cold. The shape has a sound, the sound has meaning. He understands the meaning is a reflection of the darkness and lightness within him. This is himself. He is The Ageless Man.
****
Private Harvey Whitlock carries the doctor in his arms. He is old, but feels strong, invigorated. There is too much blood to know how bad the wounds are, but he knows the doctor is alive. The blood and whimpering reminds Whitlock of his own Baptism Day. He understands the suffering, his own scars bear testament to the truth of this. He cannot let the doctor die, this the newest addition of the Faceless Men. It has been a glorious day; two more brothers have joined with the doctor, their screams lift his heart. The ranks have grown, as they must. Some may have surrendered their lives, but that is an unavoidable sacrifice. Whitlock’s heart is bursting with excitement and envy-- oh to be baptized again! To hear the words for the first time, to receive the Holy Truth with virgin ears. The doctor begins to choke and gag. He is being selfish! He must focus! Whitlock charges harder, sprinting down the narrow hall to the door of the emergency unit. The medics, already alerted and waiting, take the bleeding, faceless doctor from him. The others are carried past as well, shrieking in the glory of their baptisms. We shall walk together in exaltation, Whitlock thinks, and together enter the deep world. Now, he must prepare the way.
Part 1:https://steemit.com/horror/@senderos/the-nightmare-song
Part 2: https://steemit.com/horror/@senderos/the-nightmare-song-part-2
Part 3: https://steemit.com/horror/@senderos/the-nightmare-song-part-3
Part 4: https://steemit.com/horror/@senderos/the-nightmare-song-part-4
Photo by Amanda Charchian
Story by Daniel Capuzzi, 2016. All copyrights apply.