Breeze.. As I felt breeze on my skin for the first time.. As my eyes got flashbanged by the scorch of the midday sun.. As I fell, and fell, and fell, something beautiful happened.

The overload of sensory input spiked my system straight into nirvana. I began to laugh uncontrollably, before abruptly slamming into the ground.

A moment passed, and I realised there was no pain. I felt a bit winded, but that was it.

"I'm.. Alive?"

My voice sounded strange to me. Was this what I had always sounded like?

"No, not really. You haven't spoken in a while you know?"

What? Another voice? Who is that?

My eyes darted around, scanning for signs of anything that moves.

I thought I ate Freddy..

Realising I could finally see, my eyes began to take in my surroundings at full force.

The fact that another voice had spoken to me had faded in an instant behind the assault of what I was seeing.

The city looked damaged, but not destroyed. My house was situated up on a hill that had a fantastic vantage point over the greater city below.

There was silence.

The beautiful testaments to humankind's will, perseverance, engineering, and planning. The realisation of dreams long held laid dormant, lifeless.

Having had the lifeblood of the city drained out of it, it had been reduced to nothing but an empty husk. A corpse laid bare upon the barren landscape of ash and mud.

However, in this peaceful quiet, it had taken on a new spirit. That of an ancient ruin. A monument to a civilisation long gone. An age, an era, of something that had once been.

If I had not been a part of it, what wonder might I have experienced in this very moment, upon seeing such a solemn sight?

"You're the only one left, you know?"

With a renewed alacrity, I swung my head toward the direction of the voice.

"Me?", I said instinctively.

"Me? What about me? Did you hear what I said or is your brain too far gone??"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It spoke in a playful voice. Not unmatching of its physique.

"I guess I've gone mad.. The paint should've clued me off ages ago..", I proclaimed, my heart sinking.

Still staring at it, I sighed.

"Why did I say that.. I don't even know how to speak to someone anymore..", I mumbled to myself.

"Uhhh.. Can you hear me? You obviously can, I mean you're looking right at me! Hellooooo? Earth to whateveryournameis. You're not crazy~ Well.. I mean maybe you've lost it a bit but I'm real!"

It darted around me, flying to the left and right. Taking on varied angles, speaking faster than I could properly understand.

"Oh look. Now my brain's using you as a vehicle to try and rationalise its delusions to me. My god. What if someone sees me talking to myself like a mad man..", I felt a deep well of pity, shame, and embarrassment taint my body.

I felt disgusting. What the fuck is wrong with me.. I've been eating rodents and insects, haven't left the house in who the hell knows how long. I can't remember the last time I showered. What if I caught some disgusting disease from the rats. I just jumped out the window without thinking..

In that moment of self-realisation, something hit me.

"Ouch, what the hell was that!", I said, indignant and mad.

"Ah, so you are still there inside, huh? What the hell are you rambling on about. You stink. You're a mess. Get up and find somewhere to wash, you idiot. How long have I gotta tell you. You're all that's left. Given enough time, you're gonna either be dead or disappear like the rest of 'em. So come on. Get up! I know you can hear me!"

Compared to before, its voice was clearer, easier to comprehend. It was a crispness Freddy had never had.

"Uhh.. Which way?"

"How am I supposed to know? You're the human. Go find something."

"Well what kind of use are you then, huh?"

"You ungrateful little shit! Why the hell am I even helping a bastard like you.."

"A bastard?! You watch your tongue you little.. Whatever the hell you are!"

"Oh yeah? Then what~ You gonna bore me to madness too with your delirious antics?"

Delirious antics..

"Hey.. That kinda hurt.."

The little thing came over to me and patted my head.

"Aww, it's alright. You'll be fine. Let's just make sure you don't die, okay?"

"Why do you even care.."

The little thing put its hand to its chin in thoughtful contemplation.

"Ah, an astute question my apprentice. Why do I, Fellabee, queen of the sovereign reign of Kalamere give two shits about the likes of you?"

A piercing silence ensued.

"BECAUSE WHO THE HELL ELSE IS GONNA ENTERTAIN ME OUT HERE. EVERYONE'S GONE AND I'M DYING OF BOREDOM HERE."

Staring blankly at the little thing, my mouth agape, I felt myself smile, then giggle, then laugh. Much to this royal queen's dismay.

"What's so funny about any of this?"

"My apologies your highness. May I ask where your kingdom is?"

The small figure drooped into a slump, life draining from its posture as paper to flame.

"Gone."

All that joy from moments ago evaporated, leaving nothing but the ashes. A smouldering pain slowly heating our insides.

"Gone? What happened..?"

"I don't know.. I don't even know where I am, or what this place is.. I just.. Found myself here.. Everyone I loved, everyone I knew, gone. I never even got to say goodbye.."

Tears burst from its eyes. A well of inescapable pain and sadness shattered the tiny being's persona. It tried to play the tough act. It tried to focus on other things.

"Why.. Why did things.. Turn out this way.. I.. I want my mum back.. I want my brother to hug me and tell me it will be okay.. I want Stephan to sing to me once more.. I.."

It cried so hard, it could no longer speak. Sadness had choked its voice from it.

Not knowing what else to do, I gently guided it to my chest and hugged it lightly.

It sobbed and sobbed, this tiny, shattered warmth. My heart cried out to comfort it. To relieve it of its crippling sadness. All I knew to do, was to listen, and to provide it a place to cry in peace.