As I sat there, trapped in the suffocating darkness, I kept blaming myself over and over. The silence was deafening, yet the voice in my head was even louder, filled with regret and self-loathing. Days passed like centuries, and I could feel something inside me withering away. I had failed her, hurt her, and I didn’t know if she could ever forgive me. But forgiveness wasn’t what I sought—I just wanted to save her, at any cost.

Yet here I was, powerless, bound by these merciless chains, as if they were a physical manifestation of my guilt. Suddenly, amidst the suffocating stillness, a light appeared out of nowhere. It was faint, but it carried more meaning than all the darkness around me. Along with the light, I heard the metallic clang of something falling.

I turned my head, struggling against the restraints, to see it—a key lying on the ground. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, hope stirred within me. A small spark, but enough to ignite something long dormant inside me.

I tried to move, to reach for it, but the chair I was bound to made every motion excruciatingly difficult. With no other choice, I flung myself forward. The chair crashed onto the floor, sending sharp pain through my body. Yet, despite the agony, I kept going, rolling and squirming to get closer to the key.

It felt so close, yet impossibly far. My fingers brushed against the cold metal, but I couldn’t grasp it. Again and again, I tried, each attempt more desperate than the last. Finally, after what felt like a battle against my own weakness, I clutched the key.

Victory surged through me for a fleeting moment, but I knew the fight wasn’t over. The lock was in front of me, and my hands were bound behind the chair. I twisted my body, forcing my arms forward. The pain was unbearable; it felt as though my shoulders were being ripped apart. But I couldn’t stop—I had to be free.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard the click of the lock opening. The chains fell away, hitting the floor with a dull thud. It felt as if the weight of years had been lifted in an instant.

I inhaled deeply, savoring my first taste of freedom, but my body betrayed me. My legs couldn’t hold me up. I collapsed onto the floor, completely drained. The darkness returned, wrapping around me once more.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

But this time, it was different. It wasn’t the suffocating void I had known. It held something new—a promise, a flicker of hope, a chance for a new chapter. Yet, before I could grasp it, I would have to face myself again.

A voice deep inside me whispered, "You can stand. You can fight." My body was frail, barely able to move, but that inner spark refused to die. Though exhaustion gripped me, I felt a flicker of hope. I drifted into a brief slumber, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I experienced a fleeting sense of peace in this desolate, suffocating place.

When I awoke, something had shifted. Strength, faint yet steady, coursed through my veins. I forced myself to rise, stumbling as my legs threatened to betray me. The pain was immense, but I stood. It wasn’t easy, but I did it.

I began to walk through the darkness, each step uncertain yet determined. A faint light appeared beneath my feet—gleaming marks etched on the ground, as though reflecting a hidden source. I didn’t question their origin; I simply followed, trusting the guidance they offered.

Step by step, the glowing trail led me forward, deeper into an intricate labyrinth. The walls were shrouded in an inky blackness that seemed to consume the faint light. Yet the shimmering marks persisted, shifting with each turn, as if whispering, "This is the way."

Suddenly, the trail stopped. The light faded, leaving me in an eerie stillness. I found myself in an expansive chamber. Its ceiling was invisible, swallowed by shadows that stretched infinitely above. The mirrored walls reflected my image, distorted and fractured, as if mocking my very existence.

Before me stood several doors, each unique, each mysterious. They were locked tight, their surfaces adorned with cryptic carvings and ancient symbols that seemed alive, pulsating faintly. But among them, one door stood out.

This door was different. Its frame was solid and unyielding, encased in intricate designs that twisted like vines around a peculiar, otherworldly lock. The sight of it froze me in place. My breathing quickened, and my pulse raced. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this door held the answer, the purpose of everything I’d endured.

I stepped closer, my hands trembling as I reached for the lock. It was cold and uninviting, as if daring me to solve its puzzle. How would I open it? The question loomed in my mind, and I realized that the real test was just beginning. The answer wasn’t far, but it demanded courage—a courage I wasn’t sure I had yet.

I approached one of the doors, my fist tightening around it, and broke the lock without hesitation.

I pushed the door open, ignoring everything except the need to move forward. There was no other choice. I had to go in.

I found myself in a familiar place, something from the past, something I thought had faded with time. It was my school… in the early morning. The students were gathered, forming a tightening circle around someone. I took a step forward, my heart pounding heavily.

“What is this?” I muttered, my eyes widening in disbelief.

There, at the center of that circle… it was me. A small, fragile version of myself, trapped among them. They were throwing filth at me, laughing. My voice was muffled, my cries unheard.

I froze where I stood. I remembered everything. That moment… how it broke me, how it tore me apart inside. I felt like nothing, a fragile creature trapped in a whirlpool of pain.

I stood there, watching myself… and reliving a pain I thought I had buried with time.