The Villain within #
The alarm buzzed incessantly, pulling Mike out of a restless sleep. His breath came in short gasps as the remnants of the nightmare clung to him. In it, he had been running endlessly, pursued by a shadowy figure. Now awake, the room felt cold and hollow, the darkness pressing against him like an unwanted companion Today, I wake from a nightmare’s grasp, A sinking void, the echoes of the past. I thought I held control, the reins in hand, But the weight of my choices is hard to withstand. He dragged himself to the bathroom, splashing water on his face. When he looked in the mirror, his reflection seemed off, almost mocking him. Sunken eyes and hollow cheeks stared back, framed by the unmistakable pallor of someone running on empty. "You did this to yourself," the reflection whispered, lips moving out of sync with his own. Mike blinked, shaking his head. It’s just the exhaustion, he told himself, though the words did little to comfort him. Naive, I let my body lead the way, Now ...