Glassy-eyed, Liam jumped into the hole. He started to fall. Above him, the hole got smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely. He was falling in the dark, completely unable to tell where he was going. Yet, he felt peaceful. He felt as if he were floating, in a way. Vague blurs took shape around him, but he could not tell what they were. He did not care, either. Why were these ugly shapes tainting the peaceful darkness around him? He felt the frown on his face deepen, his brow furrowed in disgust. The blurs should go away so that he could admire the perfect black.

“…!”

A slight shift. Almost imperceptible, but his bodily awareness made him realize it. He was slowing down, somehow. It was funny how he had completely forgotten he was falling. How long had he fallen for? He did not even know. In the infinite darkness, Liam laughed alone. How could he have forgotten? He had always been falling. The fall had no beginning nor end. Actually, scratch that. It seemed to be coming to an end.

His body was now definitely slowing down, he could feel. It was as if a giant was gently putting him down on the ground, making sure he wouldn’t get hurt. Ever so slowly, his feet started to touch something. It was a flat surface, but it could not be seen. All around him, no matter if it was below or to the sides, darkness was all there was. Yet, his feet stepped on a surface all the same. It was as if the darkness had coalesced into solid ground. Of course, he had no idea what this “ground” thing was. It was a strange word. What was its meaning, when the dark was all there had ever been?

Liam stood up. He turned 360-degrees, taking in the environment around him. Naturally, there was nothing to take in. Just the way he liked it. Liam smiled his most sincere smile ever since he had been born. He felt peaceful. There was nothing in the dark. It was the epitome of peace, the very embodiment of it. Without the dark, there was no peace, just like there could be no peace without the dark.

The darkness in front of him seemed to get thicker. Out of it stepped a giant of a man, over two meters tall. The man’s eyes were red and unfocused, his shirt and hands stained by blood. His feet were bare and stepping over an amorphous mass of broken flesh. Liam felt a chill creep up his back. He blinked.

CREAK

The wooden floor creaked beneath his feet. The scenery had changed. Now, around him stood a kitchen. Its counter was bloody, as were the knives laying about. The kitchen sink dripped with blood, the sound of the droplets falling drilling into his mind. In front of him, standing completely still, was the same man from before. The man stepped forward, stumbling as he did. Liam did not step back. He was confused. Hadn’t he been in the dark just moments ago? Where was this? Why had it ripped him away from his peace? It would seem like a frown would be permanently carved into his expression. All he knew was that the man in front of him had done something to the dark, and that was unforgivable.

Liam shot forward. Wait, why was he so slow? What was this feeling welling up inside his chest? Before he could process what he was feeling, he reflexively punched as he approached the man. Looking at his own arm, it was trembling. It was small and weak. Why were his hands so tiny? Unfeeling for his worries, his fist dug into the man’s solar plexus, making him release a grunt of pain. Then, the man extended his hand forward. It got closer and closer to Liam’s head, covering up his line of sight with its bloody palm. He could now understand what the feeling in his chest was. It was terror.

He stepped back, making the man grab the empty air. His mind was aflame, trying to think of ways to win this fight. He whipped his right leg forward, accurately landing it on the man’s left shin.

BAM

A loud noise could be heard at the moment of impact and a sharp pain shot up his leg. Pulling it back, he watched the man’s face contort in pain.

“Ah, shit! Who taught you that, you little fuck?!”

The man cursed as he rubbed his leg, before rising to his full height once more. His eyes were still unfocused but seemed much clearer than before.

“Alright, then. So be it.”

That was when it happened. Quick as lightning, the man pulled his fist back before sending it in the direction of Liam’s head. Liam’s pupils dilated. He barely had time to move his head, the fist whooshing past his ear and hitting the wooden wall behind him.

CRACK

The wall crumbled as if it were made of paper. Not losing any momentum, the man sent his other fist swinging horizontally in a large haymaker. Liam ducked, feeling the blow pass by above him and smash into the wall once more. Wood splinters flew through the air, finding their destination in the more remote corners of the room. Taking the opportunity to counterattack, Liam sent an uppercut hurling towards the man’s ribs. It was a mistake. The man’s eyes shined brightly, a ferocious glint within them. Liam saw him raise his fist. It was the opening to an overhand hook. It was over. The man’s lead foot hit the ground with a thud, his firm steps shaking the very foundation of the house. Then, his sight tilted.

WHOOSH

The overhand hook missed Liam by an inch, hitting nothing but air.

“Fuck! I drank too much!”

The man stumbled and raised his fist once more, but by then… Liam had already made sure his blow connected.

BAM

His fist hit the man’s ribs, slightly lifting up the opponent’s body. It was the result of his abnormal strength. However, it was far from over. The man kept throwing punch after punch, which only lightly grazed Liam’s body. Deep in the enemy’s eyes, Liam could see a half-crazed frustration, as if he were desperately trying to land a hit but something was making him unable to. For the second time in the last ten seconds, Liam mentally thanked God for making the man come home drunk. Launching a quick jab, he hit the opponent right on the nose. As the drunken man stepped back, his ankle bent, making him fall. With a thunderous thud, his back hit the ground. Before he could come to himself, Liam found himself mounted over the man’s chest, his fist connecting with his face.

BAM

BAM

With the dull sound of bone against flesh, Liam’s fist hit the man’s face, again and again, breaking the wooden floor below it and sinking the man’s head into the ground. Desperate, the giant tried to sit up and grab him, but Liam’s small body always managed to slip through his fingers and land another blow. Gradually, the man’s arms lost strength.

Liam did not know for how long he continued to hit. All he knew was that once he was done, all that remained was a mangled mess, a clear hole in the shape of a fist on it. His hands were stained red by the enemy’s blood, which covered him from head to toe. He could not feel anything. No, that wasn’t true. He felt relief. As if he had escaped from certain death. Yet, that was all he could feel. All he could identify. He had never been taught what to call the emotions he was currently feeling, so he guessed he must be not feeling much at all. It was a wrong assessment. Shakingly, the boy stood up and walked towards the door. As he opened it, the house behind him and the corpses of his parents dissolved into nothingness.

…

His feet touched the cold, pristine marble floor. Wearing only a white gown, he looked around. He was in a small, cold, completely white room, surrounded by men and women wearing laboratory coats. In front of him, a single woman smiled. As he gazed into her eyes, his eyes widened. A feeling of betrayal welled up in his chest, as well as a great amount of rage and pain. He could not understand where these feelings were coming from. He could not remember who the woman was. He tried to step forward and extend his hand towards her, but an invisible force pushed him backwards and strapped him to a metal table.

The scientists approached him, one of them holding an injection. The man pressed the injection against his arm, the mysterious liquid inside it flowing into him. That was when it started. The same burning pain that he still remembered; the same pain that terrified him in his nightmares. It was as if his muscle fibers were being torn, his bones frozen and then melted at the same time, every piece of skin shaved off with a razor. It was unbearable. An inhuman scream burst forth from his mouth, but to no avail. The pain was omnipresent and eternal. He did not know how much time he spent in such a state, but once it was over he lay paralyzed on the table. The scientists unstrapped him and threw him on the ground, while the woman from before took him in her arms.

“Shhh, it’s alright now. I’m sorry that you need to go through this, baby. You know I love you, right?”

Warmth radiated from her entire figure, but it chilled him to his bones. The feelings of betrayal intensified. He felt as if he was about to cry. Why were things the way they were? Why did things happen the way they did? He knew her love was a lie, but he couldn’t help himself from yearning for it. During his childhood, he had attached himself too much to her. It was why the discovery that she hated him hurt all the more. He could now remember what had happened. The truth about who she was.

He knew what he had to do, but did not have the strength to do it. For a few moments, he simply lay in her arms as she embraced him, closing his eyes and treasuring that warmth. Then, hesitatingly, his hands began to inch closer to the woman’s neck. She continued to smile at him, covering him in the affection he had lacked all throughout his life. He remembered what had happened to her, but did not grieve. It was the difference knowing the truth made within him.

In a single move, he grabbed her neck, and then…

…Turned her head completely blackwards, shattering and shredding her spine. She died instantly. The other scientists simply watched on, as if they were puppets or illusions. They never mattered from the start. She was the lead actress of this scenario, as well as one of the only two characters, the other being himself. As the room started to dissolve into nothingness, only her corpse remained clear. Silently, alone, Liam shed a single tear.