It was weird, how time stopped around us, giving way to a much needed respite. The children disappeared, along with them the ravine and the chanting. My jaw still throbbed, but I didn't care. With illusions all around I knew it was one of them. We stood in an empty room.
Screams and wails of suffering seeped towards us from the distance. I looked at Jack, waiting for him.
- Are you a hero still? - I asked him.
- Do I need to be? To save them from what?
- I think they mostly want to be protected from themselves. Their feelings that make them uncomfortable. But this is also a way to connect. Share the misery. Looking in, facing the monster within takes time, courage. Not all have that. Maybe you were right, it's needless suffering. I should have left those intact who didn't want to see t
