Relapse

A faint zephyr floated by. The wind chimes tinkled, like peals of laughter.

It ought to have been soup for the soul, a reminder of those halcyon days, finally some tranquil wave of relaxtion to warm that frosty heart.

But to him, it was anything but. The sharp intonation resonated through the air. He envisaged every particle vibrating as the ripple edged towards him. Menacing. Like a tidal wave rushing headlong. To crush him.

They rang again. Crystal clear. Clear as mud. The chink of metal against metal. Cold hard steel. Relentless assault on his cerebrum. Reverberations in his head. Echoes once again bouncing off those dull grey walls. Voices. Shadows. Murmuring.

A distant past back to haunt him.

He ran. Fled from the past, escaped the present, decided there was no future.

The wind whistled in his ears. For what seemed like an eternity. All his life, he just wanted to scream. But now, no tears flowed, no sound uttered. An end. Closure.