Sunshine

Pete still had one eye left to see through, and he waited for the sunrise. His shackles had become loose overhead, but the blood continued to drip down over his eyebrows each time he adjusted himself. Slipping out of them would be futile, even if he could, surrounded by the dank stone chamber walls shrouded in black death. His only comfort was his cache of delirium. He spent it frugally.

His chains rattled as the first hint of light shot through the single tiny crack in the stones across from him. He winced and hung like a statue as it slowly approached. One minute, two, ten, thirty...he sensed it from the corner of his eye. It floated at an imperceptible speed across the adjacent wall. One hour, two. It glistened off the moist rock. He was helpless to prevent its approach. He recognized the absurdity, but there was no stopping it, not in this place. Closer. The irrational pangs of hope clenched tightly as he forced himself to acknowledge the absolute certainty of his fate. He would perish that evening, or perhaps during the night, but it couldn't be long now...

Through the red hue he saw the faintest outline of his emaciated torso as the spec neared. By now not even the sight of his body could remind him he was human. His breathing became shallow and measured. He reminded himself to ignore it, to restore sanity and hopelessness...sound reality. Resolved, he opened his eye to discover the strands of his hair and beard dancing in the light. It was a sight he hadn't seen for days. It fascinated him. The magical gnarled tufts crusted with dried blood were like vines over his childhood pond. He watched in desperation, trying to remind himself of the horror draped in front of him, but could not.

He backed up and ran, swinging into the wind, brushing his feet gently across the cool water. He couldn't feel his bony heels burning beneath him. He returned to the grassy bank and looked to the sky only to be blinded by the beating sun, which washed over him like a warm shower. Chills shot up his spine and he shuddered like an epileptic, grinding his sores violently against the course granite. Holding on tight he ran again, flying high and crashing forcefully into the water. Every ounce of his being tingled fiercely and uncontrollably. He basked in the brightness as long as he could, writhing in terrible bliss, wanting desperately for it to stay. He adjusted his stance, stretching his neck to soak in every moment of fortune, sharp metal cutting deep into his flesh...

The speck finally drifted past and onto the wall on the other side. He resisted with all his strength but finally collapsed into maniacal laughter, splashing blood against the stone and all over his face before screeching in horrific agony. The light disappeared and he hung, motionless.