Pain.
Sinking deeper like a corkscrew, through flesh, muscle, bone. Screaming a language beyond that of words, beyond ideas. A language so loud it explodes into a world of its own. Eclipsing any other world of people, cities, sun, or war. Eyes shut, I wander through my agony, as I lay in the dirt, my head pushed against a rock. Some while ago my hand touched my left leg. I felt wetness. The solid assurance of my leg was gone. But I could barely attend to it, the pain screaming ripped my mind away.
Time was a distant idea. Had it been moments, days, or weeks since I opened the door to walk into my home after temple? Then, a bright red, unbelievable heat, I was thrown backwards. I heard screams, cries of help, and people running. Such chaos, but my pain was already consuming me, pushing everything else away. Some time later I felt water fall on me. What could that be? Rain. For a while I heard a lone child whimpering. He sounded close, but so far away.
He is silent now.
Now here I lay, in the dark world beneath my eyelids, a sole habitant of my own uncontrolable pain. Distantly I feel another hand upon me. With great effort I return to this other world and open my eyes. There is a thick creature in green leaning over me. I squint and look into its face. Even that is painted green, or brown, it’s hard to tell. He speaks to me like a human, but I understand not his words. I gather my strength and say “Hello Jack” His name is probably not Jack, but it is the only English I know. Besides any other words would have been halted, blood is now pooling in my mouth. I look up at him with my last bit of energy. He puts his hand over my eyes. My dark world rushes back. I hear a distant loud bang and then the screaming world of pain within myself starts to quiet, in a slow rush, like a dam crumbling into the river. My head drops limply to the side, as I stare blankly at the charred remains of the foundation of my house, the last thing I hear are the words.
“Mercy kill.”
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