I've been trying to sort out for a while now what would be easiest to try to explain first. So much happened last year that it's a killer on my brain just to start thinking about it... and I've learnt it to be a very bad idea to read through my own blog for ideas. Half the shit I don't want to be reminded of and the other half are things I want to punch myself for...
Which, I guess, would be a good place as any to start. One of those "Fuck, I was stupid" times. Always good for something, right? This one was one of the first ones, actually. I'm not sure if any of you have noticed or not, but a lot of my older stuff I've edited and added comments on to try to explain things a bit better than I did at the time. This one though... well, it really was the first step I took in the lies and half-truths. All because of something that I've mentioned again and again and yet have never explained what I mean by it...
The... "Feeling."
The one I get when He is around.
I always expected someone to ask but... I guess you all just assumed. Now you get to find out if you assumed right.
I've said it again and again that I'm not afraid of Him. And, on the graves of my family, I swear to you that I'm not. I never have been. The terror everyone else says He drills into your core when under His stare... I've never felt it. Not once. The first time He was so damn close... and I still wasn't afraid. I was freaked out, of course, but not scared. Not of Him. After all, the Feeling that He gave me wasn't something to stand the hair on the back of my neck on end... or kick in any kind of fight or flight reflex, for that matter. It... never even once made me feel like I was in any kind of danger.
Instead, it was... comforting.
Each and every time, it comes the same damn way. I feel a pressure settle over me... as though a slight weight had been placed over my shoulders and head. Not to restrict me in any way, but just... to serve as a reminder. That He was there. Is there. "Father." The pressure wraps around me and I nearly... I nearly feel at peace. I suddenly feel like a drowning person who's been thrown a floation device. I can breathe. (At least until He decides I need to be punished.)
And it is because of this that I... am afraid. Of myself. Of being different. Through all these blogs, I don't remember anyone who experienced anything like this.
Well... no one, except Proxies. They mention it. They speak of comfort and peace and purpose. They tell about His glory and majesty... and, to the deepest part of my soul, I have respect for Him. I hate Him and everything He has done and will do... but I can't help but have this feeling of respect drumming inside me. Capitalizing the words I use to refer to Him isn't even my choice. It literally feels wrong not to. I can't even... call Him the name He is most commonly known as. I've literally sat here for the past ten minutes to type it out... but I can't. It sounds too simple. Too cheap. Almost mocking. So I simply call Him "He That Is"... or "Black King" works too. But in doing that... I start sounding just like Them, don't I?
Is it really any wonder I lashed out? Again and again? I was pissed OFF. It wasn't suppose to GO like this. This fight was supposed to be against the terror brought on by an Evil Entity who swoops in and destroys your life and picks your sanity apart piece by piece. How the Hell could I feel comforted by His presence? How could I possibly admit to something like that? Not only admit it to myself... but to you guys as well? Basically say that "Hey, I'm like Them! But don't worry. I won't go nutz-o on you. Pinky swear!" I'm sure THAT would have gotten me far...
That night when I went out to see Him... I was desperate. I was mad at myself and desperate to prove that I was afraid of Him. That I was just like every other Runner in this Community. That if I just got a bit closer, I'd feel it. I'd feel the fear that tears you to pieces without even being touched. To crumble to the ground with a terror that pounds in your chest and screams in your ears. I thought I just had to get a bit closer...
I don't remember what happened after I went outside. I don't even remember going back into the house. All I know is I woke up the next morning in my room. I've tried so hard to remember that patch of time, but it's gone. Whatever happened, I might not want to remember. He'd been close enough to take my necklace, after all. My pendant. I'm just... glad He did leave it for me to find. It wouldn't be the last time He focused His attention on it though. I guess He knows it means something to me.
Valerie had given me this pendant years ago as a birthday present. It's handcrafted. A horse on one side and a dragon on the other. I always looked at it as a reminder. On one side you have the horse: Reliable, strong, hardworking, trustworthy, kind, gentle... all the things a person would want to be in the world. And on the other side, you have the dragon: Glorious, unstoppable, untameable - limited only but one's own imagination. I think that's how people should try to live - a horse in mind, a dragon in spirit. Or maybe I'm just being weird again. Looking too closely into things. All I know is that, from the minute I got it, I never took it off. Not until He took it off for me. I'm... just relieved it didn't disappear. It helps me get through the day, sometimes. I believe in its weight around my neck the same way I believe in the ground. It'll always be there. It's a constant.
But, just like my pendant, there's a flip-side to the comfort in His presence. To contrast... the ache when He isn't around is near constant. It runs through my whole body. Some days it hurts more than others, but it's always there in one form or another. Every minute of every day. All my muscles. My brain. My insides. Everything. It's a constant drain. Some days I literally can't eat because I don't feel like I could keep anything down... and I honestly don't remember a day when my eyes haven't been bloodshot red or that I didn't feel the pressure on my temple that told in its painful sing-song voice that I'd be dealing with a headache soon. I just take my pills (migraine pills. Not those "mystery pills" that were (are?) popular for a while) and ignore it. Get on with the day. Smile when I need to. Manners, manners, manners... Don't forget your manners, Mitchy...
I think... I'm getting better at not letting the pain get to me. Heh. Being in constant pain... caused from resisting what He wants of me... Has. Become. My. Norm.
How fucking stupid is that?
What... the Hell is so wrong with me that I'm like this? Am I really that horrible of a person? Am I really that fucking bad?
I still hadn't said It yet though. I haven't sworn loyalty or given any kind of vow or done anything to suggest I wanted His influence in my head any more than it already is. I know after posting this I'm probably going to be called a Proxy again... even though I still call myself a Runner... but, perhaps, that doesn't quite fit with what I am either. Maybe I'm a Running Proxy. Running from the Job more than the threat of death...
This is me being honest. Should I stop?
Honest is good. I wish I had the balls to be that honest.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't hate you so damn much, I'd have a lot to talk to you about, Mitch. We're not so different, the two of us.
Maybe too similar.
DeleteTake care of yourself, Elaine. You can hate me all you want. Personally, there are things that annoy me about you too, but everyone has their own deal, right? Still doesn't mean I can say that the hate goes both ways.
Definitely too similar.
DeleteI just. I dunno, we'd get along great if you hadn't killed one of my best friends. I can't just forget that.
Two strongly opinionated people have a very low chance of "getting along great." But you never know, I guess. That is one thing that I have decided through this little pain in the ass game. You just never know.
DeleteI've told you before. I understand. I saw him with the same eyes you see me. Does that bother me? ...Ehh, probably not as much as it should, honestly. It is what it is.
Okay, let me rephrase-you're exactly the sort of person I would've fucking loved if you hadn't killed him.
DeleteAnd yes, I understand.
I just kind of wish things were different. As guilty as I feel for wanting to be able to be friendly with you.
Since the only people I really have on my blog right now are you saying "I hate you" and the two Proxy bastards saying "I'll kill you"... I really have a hard time even thinking about "what if" situations, Elaine.
DeleteI do appreciate the honesty though. Kinda nice to know it might have been different... but the only way it would have been different is if he had never come to my farm The Night. That was his choice. After that... it was action to reaction. Our confrontation was going to happen. It was just a matter of time.
Honesty is a rare thing to behold these days. But, by all means, go right ahead, sweetheart. Tell us everything you don't want us to know.
ReplyDeleteIt'll make things that much more fun when I have time to keep my promise.
You know, I was just going to tell you to fuck off as per the norm, but I have a question. Between "siblings", right?
DeleteWhat exactly do you think your death threats do? I mean seriously. I'm already being stalked by Him. I'm already going to die. I know that. Wasn't exactly a new, ground-breaking revelation. Do you honestly think any threat you can give me would top that? That would make YOU my prime concern instead of Him? Cause if that's what you're looking for, then save your goddamn energy. It'll never happen. You're not as big of a threat as He is and you never will be.
Ah, but I thought He wasn't a threat for you? Being the "comforting" Father that He is...
DeleteDo me a favor, Mitchy. Imagine yourself in a situation for me. Imagine standing out in the middle of the darkened forest. All around you, the trees provide a blanket to conceal all things great and small from your vision. In a clearing in front of you, you see our Father. Out in the open. Watching. Waiting. His gaze ever-sharpening. You can feel it on you. Tightening by the second. Then, to your right, a twig snaps. No sooner does that catch your attention, then, to your left, you hear a rustle in the thicket. Footsteps on the ground. A flash from a blade in the moonlight amongst the leaves. You stop breathing, straining to hear any noise of the coming attack...
Question is, from which direction?
You can't Watch everywhere all at once. You can't protect anyone or anything when you have no idea from which direction the attack is coming. Focus too much on Him, and I'll take pleasure in coming up behind you. Focus too much on me, and it widens the field for our Father or our kin to take you by surprise from the other side. Or perhaps to take dearest Hakurei Ryuu...
Stress is a killer, isn't it? It's only a matter of time until you take another hit, Mitchy. Until you're forced down that much more and your world gets even darker around you. Another twig snap here. Another barely-muffled snicker there.
How much longer do you really think you can hold it together, my dear?
Whatever point it was you were trying to make, I think it got lost in your inimitable string of metaphors. She just said, quite resoundingly, that she wasn't focusing on you, that even attempting such a distraction is pointless because you are so far out of her field of vision.
DeleteMore importantly, trying to watch all sides isn't as big a deal when you're standing back to back with someone you trust. I'm not helpless anymore, so get a fucking clue.
I have a feeling that Nightscream will be in Mitch's field of vision, front and center, very soon. Along with someone far far worse. Are you ready to feel death's cold embrace Mitch? We are coming soon.
DeleteTrust me, my dearest Hope Bearer. She would be a fool to not at least pass a glance in our direction. Or did you not bother reading up to where I point-blank said "Focus too much on Him, and I'll take pleasure in coming up behind you"?
DeleteI am kind enough to give fair warning, you know. You should show more respect. Ignoring us is a death wish.
And as for your helplessness... well, I think your notion of ignoring us speaks for itself. You're naive, Valerie. And therefore so very lucky to have Mitch at your side still. Granted, that will come to a close soon enough.
...And here we go back with the "@" again.
Delete@Nightscream: So, to paraphrase... you do what you do to be a pain in the ass and give me a twitchy eye. Noted. You really like to talk, don't you? For the record, Val probably didn't mean ignoring you as a threat. She meant ignoring your comments. There's a difference.
@Val: Not out of vision, but certainly not at the top. A death threat is still a death threat. And rather keep both you and myself alive.
@Morganstar: Goodie. We can sit down for a coffee and talk about the weather. Go screw yourself.
What's wrong with liking to talk? Good God, all of you people are so anti-social. I may like my solitude, but you give new meaning to it.
DeleteAs for the Hope Bearer... well, even if she is not turning her back... to ignore the words of the devil is to blind yourself to its Image as well as its Intent. Or am I not speaking direct enough again...?
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
Simple enough for you now?
At least tell me that YOU understood what I was getting at, sister. Or shall I state the obvious so the entire class can catch up?
Yeah, yeah. I got it. You wouldn't have to ask if you had to explain if you stopped trying to sound so damn poetic...
Delete