He knew there was a darkness lurking beneath the surface. In times past, he had willingly stared into that abyss and didn’t turn away when it smiled back. There was a haunting allure to it now—akin to the embrace of a lover who you suspected wanted you dead.

Standing before the recesses of his mind where the beast was chained, moments passed in the space of steadying breaths. Whispers echoed around; all speaking to his every wants and needs. There was no questioning it: everything he wanted was under his touch—it just needed to be set free.

Hours passed as he watched it, eyes gleaming from the shadows as it patiently waited. He could walk away at any time and leave it to writhe in darkness, passing out if memory, but it would remain there anxiously awaiting a moment when he would slip.

Now, with his corruption wavering on a single thread, it began to shiver in excitement in preparation for what was to come. It knew his mind better than he ever could, and had long sensed his downfall approaching on tattered wings. He reached a shaking hand out, but stopped just short of the lock. There was a price to pay—such things always come with one. He had paid it once before and survived, yet had not emerged unscathed in the aftermath.

“Hell with it,” he hissed to the still air as he released the chains binding every one of his demons and was instantly lost amidst the rising swell.