Chrysalis

The faint sound of water dripping pierces the chilled air of the cave, echoing like a clock in its cavernous throat. A grand space, the mouth opens wide, revealing a nearly empty chamber decorated with slick stones and a small pool of water in the center. Complementing the interior of the cave lies a stone slab in the corner, the stage of a makeshift workshop. The workshop held a pieced-together mess.

He slowly blinks and stretches, sitting up from his slumber. His eyes focus on the workshop. The material cluster, consisting of some pieces faded and broken, some pieces fresh and new, emulates a shaggy cloak at this point in its construction. Eventually, the cloak should grow to a robe, then a complete, all-encompassing covering that will allow him to enter the Outside. The covering will consist of not just cloth — it will show proof of his progress, proof he was ready to face whatever waited Outside. He doesn’t remember much from the time before, but the one thing he remembers clearly is that he must continue his construction.

He makes his way to the corner, gazing upon his work. He is unsure how much longer this will take — he’s worked his whole life on this project. There are only so many materials in the mouth, so the process has been agonizingly slow. He looks wistfully at the entrance, far in the distance and with an inviting glow.

I may not exit. I am not finished.

He stares for a much longer time at the entrance, eventually lowering his eyes as he considers his reality.

I’m alone. I’ve been alone.

Maybe they were wrong. Maybe that was then, and this is now.

Maybe I can do more. Maybe I can be more.

He raises his gaze and stares at the entrance with a slight glint in his eye. It’s settled, then. He will be more.

He glances one last time at the corner, frowning at the pitiful mess. He turns and approaches the entrance of the cave. More light filters in as he gets closer, and his eyes struggle to adjust. But he continues, determined to be more.

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Outside the cave, everything is bright and green. The air is fresh. He looks around, tears in his eyes, at the beauty of this world he had always hoped for. He can’t stop himself from smiling as he makes his way through the brush. He continues walking, taking in the bliss of everything around him. The wind is calm and cool, and the sun is warm and bright. The trees seem to whisper to him.

As he enters an open clearing, he spots a small creature tied to a short post. Curious, he walks over to the animal, trying to figure out what it is exactly that he’s looking at. The small creature walks on four legs, with large, saggy ears and a body coated in dark fur. It seems to be a kind creature, as it shows no clear signs of aggression. It simply sits. He looks down at it, realizing the gravity of the situation.

This animal is tied here, alone. It has to have been abandoned.

His chest tightened. He backed away, shaking his head, struggling to find his voice. With tears in his eyes, he turns away from the poor animal.

After his departure, a thin old man walks up to the animal. The man pats the animal’s head, gives the animal a treat, and unties it from the post. The old man and the animal walk away.

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Wiping the tears from his cheeks, he takes deep breaths as he continues on his journey. He had some time to think to himself, and reasoned that maybe this was a fluke.

One cruelty doesn’t define a world.

He puts on a smile and continues forward, determined to be more. He walks and walks, his mood improving and his heart growing. Suddenly, he hears a sharp cry. He turns to the sound and makes his way toward the source.

On a small swing sits a young girl, no more than seven years old. He glances around, searching for her parents, and sees no one. He stares at the child.

She turns to him, tears in her eyes. “Can you help me? My parents, they’re not here. I think they left me.” She bursts into shaking sobs.

His throat closed; he claws at his chest as if air itself had abandoned him. Tears stream down his face. First the animal, now this girl? Two innocent creatures, both abandoned in this “beautiful” world? Struggling to breathe, he trudges away from the girl, grief filling his heart and his body wracked with sobs.

After his departure, a young man and woman emerge from the brush. The man runs up to the child and picks her up, sighing in relief. The woman hugs the girl close. The girl turns, wipes her face, and beams at her mother.

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This recovery takes much longer. He continues breathing deeply, walking slowly, and trying to calm himself.

I will allow this world one more chance.

He’s apprehensive now, but the world is a big place. Maybe, just maybe, he still has a chance. He continues on his journey, determined to be more.

He walks by a willow tree, a true beauty with its leaves creating a comfortable, shaded grove below. He appreciates the beauty of the ancient willow before something catches his eye. There, below the tree, was a man lying on the ground.

His eyes widen in shock. His mouth drops open. The man…is just lying there.

It can’t be…

He turns away and collapses. He can’t stop taking quick glances at this corpse. He gags for a moment before he vomits in the dirt between sobs. He crawls away from the man, coughing as his tears flood the soil.

I should never have left. I must return.

After his departure, the man below the tree stirs. His rubs his eyes, yawning widely, and stands up. He puts on his withered straw hat and walks away.

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Back at the cave, he crawls through the throat and sits on the slab. He wraps his arms around himself and stares at the mess. He stares and stares. The minutes turn to hours.

After quite some time, he stands up slowly. He steps closer to the creation. He rubs his hand along the surface, feeling its texture. His grip tightens around it, his knuckles white. After a moment, he begins to claw at the creation. He starts slow, pulling out small pieces bit by bit, but ultimately descends into a frenzy as he rips and shreds and smashes his creation to dust. His eyes stream tears and his lungs release sharp shrieks as he destroys his only hope of venturing Outside again.

He sits down, exhausted, in the wake of his destruction. With bleeding fingers and a blank expression, he slumps in the corner, unmoving. The faint sound of water dripping continues to echo through the throat.