Where am I? This place is strange.
What happened that made me arrive here?
Everything is dark, and nothing seems clear.
All I see is a slight haze due to the glow of the white floor, with no specific source of light, as if it were the only source of light.
This place feels familiar, almost too familiar.
I remember being in a place like this when I was young, but where was it?
I stood and looked around, and every direction was the same.
I started running around, searching for anyone, any way out, or anything that might help me answer the questions in my head.
But despite the familiarity of this place, I felt comfortable here, and it was very confusing.
I kept running..
And running..
And running..
And running..
And running until I stopped, panting and sweating, as if I had been in the rain.
I bent down, resting my hands on my knees in a kneeling position, trying to catch my breath and gasping.
A drop of the salty water covering my forehead began to roll down the tip of my nose.
The drop reached its destination and gathered there.
I felt a slight tickle that made me move my nose involuntarily, and the drop was released and fell.
I watched the drop fall, and it seemed as if time slowed down.
As soon as the drop reached the ground, I felt arms wrap around my neck from behind, as if they wanted to embrace me and then strangle me.
This surprised me, and I turned around immediately.
Suddenly, I saw all that fog and darkness transform into a beautiful blue-green canvas.
I suddenly found myself in the middle of vast, lush green plains, with not a single yellow spot.
The grasses danced to a gentle, calming melody, composed by the wind, giving me an incomparable sense of refreshment.
I raised my head and saw a blue, celestial ocean adorned with huge, cottony white clouds, resembling spongy waves.
I looked around in amazement, as I sat in the middle of this magical, seemingly endless place.
I glimpsed a strangely familiar entity, a skeleton, devoid of flesh, skin, eyes, hair, nails, or lips. It was just a pile of bones in the shape of a human, seemingly standing and staring at me, with its hands behind its back.
I looked at it in amazement and felt a strong desire to get closer to it for some unknown reason, most likely due to my childishly curious nature.
I slowly approached him, and as I stood in front of him, I noticed that some parts of those bones were scratched and appeared damaged, but the damage wasn't that severe.
Curious to know what was keeping him standing so still, I stood on his right side and looked behind him.
Suddenly, he turned toward me and said, "Boo!"
This surprised me, so I screamed and jumped backward, ending up on my buttocks as I watched him in awe as he scanned his pelvic bones.
"What were you looking at, kid? Huh?"
I remained stunned, not daring to utter a single word. The words stuck in my throat.
The skeleton raised his skull toward me, facing me with his expressionless white face. "Why do you look so stunned? It's as if you're seeing me for the first time, Kirian?"
I felt goosebumps run up my legs and up my face at what he said. It was as if I was seeing you for the first time? What does this mean? How does he know my name? What is this thing anyway?
I mustered some of my remaining courage and asked, "What exactly are you? And how do you know my name?"
The skeleton stared at me with that empty skull, its jaw open as if surprised by my words.
Then it stood up straight and clapped its claws. A round black hat appeared over the protruding round skull, and its cane was in its hand.
"I'm pleased to introduce myself to you again, you who forgot me. I am your childhood friend and the curse of vengeance repressed within you. I am your spiteful, dark side. I am kabati. I'm glad you recognize me again."
A curse of vengeance? What does this pile of bones mean? I stood up from the ground and looked at it.
"What do you mean by a curse of vengeance, man?"
What do you mean by a curse of vengeance. That question was enough to make me see a laughing skeleton before me.
It wasn't laughing recklessly like teenagers, and it showed no reaction or hint of laughter. It didn't even have a throat; his laughter was just a guffaw out of nowhere..
After his enchanting laugh, he said, "Are you kidding me, or are you trying to play a prank on me? Have you forgotten? I am the curse that fuels the hatred inside you against the Caprian. I am the one who fosters the desire for revenge within you, always striving to find the peace we aspire to, whether by finding someone who loves us or by erasing everyone who is against us and was the reason we are like that."
I froze for a moment, and a shiver ran down my spine.
Where did he get this? What does this thing know about my life? Did he live it with me? Or is he just trying to make fun of me?
I clenched my fists and said in an annoyed tone, "What do you know about me to speak like that?"
He looked at me, then sighed, shook his head, and said, "It seems you're insisting on this. My assumption that you'd forgotten and abandoned me was correct, wasn't it?"
He looked calm and added "it's okay, I'll remind you of who I am. Remember when you were little and played alone like a miserable person? I was the only one there to play with you. Remember when you were bullied at school and returned home to receive insults, punishment, and violence from your uncles and their sons? I was the one who stayed up all night talking to you until you calmed down and fell asleep. When you couldn't solve your physics problems at school, I was the only one who helped you invent lies and suitable excuses to deceive your teacher and avoid punishment. When you were being harassed by the neighborhood kids, I was the one who encouraged you to take back your rights with your own hands despite your weakness. I was your insight, your only friend, your living mother, the father you always wanted, your brother, your grandfather, your uncle, your aunt. I am everything to you!"
I remained stunned by what he said and didn't blink even once.
He added, without any mercy or pity for my mind, "Everything you have always wished for, loved, and wanted, I have achieved for you! You forgot all of this, you vile, despicable human! How could you forget all those days that passed between us? and all the care, love, and warmth that I gave you? and now you let me down by forgetting me in this way? What was the purpose of creating me in your imagination then? Answer me!"
His tone was sharp and angry.
"What was the purpose of imagining me? Were I just a tool for you to fill your emptiness and use whenever you wanted? We haven't met for only 7 years and here you are, forgetting me! Maybe you weren't there, but I was waiting for you the whole time! Is this how you reward kabati? Is this how you return the favor, Kirian?"
He let out an audible sigh and continued in a quieter voice "Listen, I am you. I am your vile, disgusting, vengeful version and the dark side of you, and whether you accept this or not, I don't care. I have always treated you kindly so that life might show you a good face, but as long as your kind side does not return the kindness that I want and denies me, then I'll never treat you kindly. Your tricks won't work on me. I am the embodiment of loneliness, rejection, and hatred. All those disgusting emotions you felt were embodied in me, you lowly fool. I am a living, empty shell because of you, weakling boy! I have been your friend all your life, and now you have come to the conclusion that you were a hyena disguised as a fox to fool a fox disguised as a sheep!"
What's all this? Why is he suddenly so upset? But I really don't remember it, or even recognize it.
Is this a dream? It seems so. Such a magical place and such a strange, angry skeleton, yes it seems so. This is truly a dazzling show...
Then suddenly..
I feel a lump in my throat...
No...
Not now...
After all these years, am I crying?
I'm too old to cry, but why do I feel like crying?
Is this really the missing part of my childhood that I've felt I've lost these past few years?
To be continued