He stood at the mouth of the cave. Fear gripped him as he gazed into the unrelenting darkness, but still the unknown sensation drew him forwards, pushed him into the maw. Bats rushed overhead and he would have dashed away, but now he was so close it overwhelmed him, prevented him from moving in any direction except deeper into the depths of the cave. Deeper and deeper, darker and darker, and now he was so close, he thought he would be torn apart. Then he saw it, shining in the faint light of his headlamp, a crystal so big it was almost fantastic. He reached out to touch it, and winced as its perfect edges slashed his flesh. A cascade of blood rushed down the black diamond, and he fell to the floor, fatally weakened.
The dream recurred night after night, and by day, he began to feel the tugging sensation that had so affected him. One day, it was so strong that he couldn’t go to work. He gathered up what few possessions he had, and relinquished himself to the unknown. For months he walked, crossing borders, only stopping when his body was so tired he could no longer move. He sought out caves, delving deep inside them. It was all to no avail, but he couldn’t stop.
Years passed, and he came to the very edge of the world. No further could he go, yet his torturer did not relent. He was dragged back to his home. The journey took far longer this time, for he was an old man. His travels had aged him more thoroughly than years ever could. He reached his home, only to find that it had been pulled down to make way for a fast food store. He hesitated outside, but the path was clear, and he stepped inside. Suddenly, the feeling vanished, and he knew it would never return.
He felt nothing, he was no longer sure he was capable of feeling anything. For a long time he stood there, and then finally he looked up. A haggard, old woman stood at the counter. The harsh fluorescent light concealed nothing, and as he looked into her eyes, he saw himself reflected infinitely, perfectly.
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