Continuity by S'revan

Irrationality

The potential of a weakened mind. 275 words.

As the initial stages of despair passed, he realized that what he had locked himself into was a kind of solitary confinement. With that realization came the knowledge of a way he could possibly, possibly, fight his way free of himself. He had employed the same tactics upon others, why not upon himself? He had already lost everything he cared about, and the loss of his sanity, in the face of that, did not matter much to him at all.

So he let go.

It became apparent to those he lived with quickly. At first he was merely listless, more indifferent and distant than ever, eyes often glazed and lips occasionally moving to say something without voice, without meaning. Then he began to fail in his duties, letting things slide, either forgetting or just not bothering with minor, then more major things. His lands began to fall into disrepair. Finally, the same effects to his own person; he forgot to eat, missed engagements, merely lay around all day and let the world pass him by.

And in his mind, as he merely fell against the bars of his mind, attempting nothing else, they weakened and broke, and he found himself rolling downhill over painful ground, but he could not care to protect himself, and when he hit the valley he merely lay, until, finally aroused by a consistent discomfort under his shoulder, he rose to sweep it away and discovered the discarded key.

He lifted it, cradled it to him, let the weight carry him back to the ground, and closed his eyes as he felt it merge with him once more.

And remembered her.