Creating fear gives the ultimate power. It is not what is known that creates fear, it is the doubt. True fears come from doubt. The kind of fears that revolves around the darkness. Fear of what may be hidden there. Of what can’t be seen. Of what is not understood. But is still there. No one knows what is hidden in the darkness. But Constance knew what was hidden in their own darkness. Their own shadows.
She knew what was in the darkness of their shadows. The humorous forms that they see as they walk. She saw the shadows for what they truly were. Their inner selves. She understood them better than they understood themselves. She knew when people had hate inside them, when they were thinking hateful thoughts. She tried to stop them. To warn the others. Constance thought they would be happy, that they would be amazed by her gift. She thought they would see how good she was. But they didn’t.
They were upset with Constance, afraid of her. They thought that what she was saying was… strange. The people were scared, angry, with Constance’s gift. They had hatred in their hearts. Constance saw it. She saw it all. They had so much hatred in their hearts that some poured out. They punished Constance for their own sins. They told her to leave, to go from there. Constance didn’t understand why. Why did they hate her so much? She asked where to go. Their hate only grew.
They forced her there. She didn’t want to go, but Constance didn’t argue. Constance was afraid. She saw their hate- their sins. They forced her there. That place. That place with the drab, gray walls. The rough sheets. That place where they lurked.
They told Constance to leave so that they didn’t have to see her anymore, but the people were everywhere. They asked her questions. Questions that she did not know the answer to. Sometimes the lady came. Constance liked the lady; she was kind and had goodness in her heart. The lady asked Constance the same questions every time she came. She always wanted to know how Constance felt about things. How Constance felt about things. How Constance felt about people. About coming to that place. About what Constance saw. Constance told the lady about all that she saw. The lady was attentive. She nodded along and wrote in her little notebook. She always brought that notebook when she came. Constance liked when the lady came. She did not like when he came.
The man was rude. He was rude and mean and cruel. He was rude and mean and cruel to Constance. He asked her strange questions. Hard questions that she couldn’t answer. He asked Constance about her gift. He thought it was a curse. The man told Constance that she was evil, that God would send her to Hell for her sins. Constance knew that the man was wrong, she saw the hatred in his heart and God saw it, too. It was not Constance, but the man who would be sentenced to a life of eternal damnation. He told her that she didn’t belong with the rest of them, the people. He told Constance that they put her in the place because she belonged there. That the place was meant for people that were out of their mind, insane. He called the place St. Adam’s Asylum, which made no sense. Why would a place named after a saint, a messenger of god, be so saddening?
Constance met the others that were there. The people that the man thought were disturbed. Constance saw them for what they truly were, scared. Scared of themselves, of others. Scared for the future. Nervous about the present. Sad with their past. Constance helped them. She saw the love in their hearts, and helped it show. She showed how to be calm. How to see what she saw. Some were angry- frustrated that they couldn’t. Others found what they needed to see. They saw darkness in the shadows of others, of themselves. They learned how to control it. Some were allowed to leave St. Adam’s, they were happy. Those who couldn’t go got angry- used the gift against people. They scared people. They scared the man.
A young girl, in her early, hurt the man. She saw his shadows and what were hidden in them. She saw that he was going to hurt her. The girl was scared, anxious. She attacked him, and strangled him. The man only got angrier. He hit her, kicked her repeatedly. He did not stop. He should have stopped. But he didn’t. She began to bleed, slowly and surely. He got nervous and stopped. Constance ran to the girl and tried to shake her awake. She screamed for her to come back, but nothing worked. The girl was with Him and Constance was still stuck with the man.
He tried to run, to hide, but Constance was too quick. She caught him and hurt him like he had hurt the girl. She hit him, and punched him. At first, it was to avenge the lifeless, little girl, but Constance started hitting him on her own behalf. He yelled for help, but no one came. Constance took his life as easily as he took the young girl’s. Constance left him there. She went into the bathroom, already knowing what she was going to see. She looked in the mirror and saw more than just herself. For the first time, she saw her own shadow.
We can’t do anything about the darkness in the world. Don’t let the last bit of light leave us, because then we will be in trouble.