No! Why them?! It could be anyone else.
Why did it have to be them?

It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me!

“Why?! Why’d you do it?!”

I-it wasn’t me fault. I-I didn’t mean to­–

***

Me eyes widen as I leap from me bed sheets, me heart poundin’ fast. Me eyes blinded by me window’s radiance.

Too bright, I think to me self.

Just a dream, I think to me self.

Just a dream… Right…

I slip out from me duvet an’ get through me mornin’ routines, clamberin’ out the same as usual. The same as every day. That monotonous guide I follow step by step, not missin’ a single action.

First day o’ work today, I remind me self, searchin’ through me kitchen for whatever food I may have.

Just a bit o’ pottle eh? I’m dinin’ finely today, I must admit.

Only enough for a small bowl… I sigh as I empty the pottle out o’ its see-through bag, At least I can start gettin’ some money now. I hope.

After givin’ me plates a slight wash o’ magic from the tap, I freshen up an’ get me shoes an’ outfit on, ready for me day at work.

Me outfit is that o’ a brand new sandy-brown suit wrapped around a fresh, white shirt an’ a magenta an’ teal, plat tie.

No hat today, I left ‘at ragged ol’ thing sat danglin’ off me stone grey, coat hanger. Instead I have me messy set o’ brown hair in all o’ its full an’ scruffy glory. Boots-wise, they’re the same style as always, with ‘eir black coat an’ light blue stripe illuminatin’ ‘em in colour.

Openin’ the door I walk down the road, greetin’ me neighbours as always, despite ‘em rudely runnin’ back into ‘eir homes as I wave hello to ‘em.

“Finally got a job, eh? I hope you get fired!”

“Good luck on getting fired!”

“Wonder how long this job’ll last ye.”

They threw ‘eir words at me same as they did last time. This time’s different though. I ain’t goin’ through ‘at again.

***

Finally reachin’ me work buildin’ I stand back an’ look at its rather wrecked clothes. A musty grey, moulded in green weeds an’ moss.

I open the cricked, wooden doors, creakin’ ‘em open so not to break ‘em off ‘eir hinges. Peekin’ in through the lit-up cracks between the buildin’s openin’,­ I'm greeted by a rather open hallway, with crooked an’ gnarled, wooden boards peelin’ off the walls.

A quick tone was set with a flicker o’ the buildin’ lights. What an absolute wreck. Quite the atrocious first look at the thing. Yet again, not sure what I was to expect from a vague advert at the bottom o’ the daily scrolls.

Then again, for it to be this bad. Not sure how this slid into such a well-known news agency's daily scroll.

I walk around, scannin’ the surroundin’ space, lookin’ for some form o’ recent use o’ some kind or another.

I notice a right turn, followin’ its path as I stumble on a lone light at the end o’ a narrow an’ cramped corridor, nearly slantin’ over. Wouldn’t be surprised if this place broke down on itself with it bein’ in this bad o’ a condition.

A warm light it was. Hung off a dark steel, barely attached to the wood wall. It flickers some more, followed by the lamps hangin’ above me. The flickerin’ grows faster. Then slower. Then even slower. It’s dark. So dark. Can’t see a thing.

I wander over to where the warm light was, bumpin’ into walls on me way over. Stumblin’ over bits o’ plank stickin’ out from the floor, I pull me self back up, clamberin’ on. Clamberin’ on. Clamberin’…

I make for a haste. Boltin’ down the hall. Draggin’ through. Somethin’s here. Somethin’s watchin’. What is it? Who is it? Can’t shake off this feelin’. This… fear… A cold pain licks its finger down me back. I turn arou—

Y-you. No. I—

“Well, haven’t you grown senile?”

B--but you—you—

“My mistake, you haven’t changed. Still that same old man as always."

You should be—you should be—

“I should be, shouldn’t I? It was your fault after all.”

I didn’t! I didn’t do it! It was just…

“Turn around, look back at what you did and grow up.”

I SWEAR, BY THE WHALE’S NAME I DIDN—

I can’t speak. Me words, they won’t come out.

“Now, now... no lies.”

.….

“Turn around.”

I see behind me the white silhouette o’ a figure. Wait, no—a silver silhouette. Someone’s with them. They look familiar. They’re holdin’ somethin’.
Get back! I try screamin’ to get ‘em out o’ the way, me voice didn’t pick up.

Stop!

Don’t!

I keep tryin’, me words not breakin’ out. Just drownin’ out in the ocean. Me throat tightens. I reach to grasp it but me hands keep fightin’ back. I can’t move ‘em. Somethin’s pullin’ ‘em back. Somethin’s stoppin’ me. What is it? Who is it?

“You know the answer to that. Don’t you?”

I turn around again, no one’s there.

“Behind you.”

I jump to follow the voice, no one’s there.

“Can’t you find me?”

I look all over, tryin’ to find where the words are comin’ from. Me worries pilin’ up, a lukewarm coldness breezin’ over me.

“How about you tell me one of your stories?”

There in front o’ me. Lyin’ before me.
‘Eir youth pure as white.
A face, stained red all over.
Eyes clouded in sight.
All but a mirror in showin’
In the shinin’ glint o’ ‘me eyes.
Laid a Flint in ‘eir silent cries.

Why do you haunt me so dearly?

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hide it from you.

“You shouldn’t have lied.”

I didn’t want to see you cry!

“You’re too late. Time’s catching up.”

But I don’t have enough!

“Look behind you, it’s following you.”

The darkness? It’s swallowin’ me whole.

“You should’ve trusted me.”

…..

“There you are again. With your empty words.
How can you swear to it, the Whale?
With resolve so rough and weightless.
Bein’ filled in a fool’s fear.
Nothing but clueless.
Wake up old man.
For I wonder,
What did you see
On that faithful day
When reason turned to haze.
Wake up old man.
It’s soon time for you to see.
What the Whale’ll choose to become your fate.”