Prologue

I see the pain in their eyes. Day after day. As they walk by, consumed by thoughts of their own. They try to hide, inside their minds. Inside their hearts, what they do not want the world to see. To know.
The corruption.
The lies.
But I see it. Glinting like an incurable poison behind their shadowed eyes. Day after day. Each step within their lives carrying them to some destination.
Only in the end to have no destination at all.

I see it, the horrors of this world.
The pain. The suffering. The abuse.
I see it each day. Relive it every night.
Pain... you can forget pain. Grow accustomed to it even. Horrors... nightmares, though, remain forever. Burned into your memory, carved into your heart.
Spilling hot tears from your eyes. Stirring nightmares long concealed. Hidden.
But nightmares, memories, can only be concealed for so long.
Only for so long, before once again they ravage your mind. Your heart.
Ripping out a soul, long since dead.
Leaving everything. Cold and dry. As barren as a desert. But the nightmares.
The nightmares that remind you of everything you lost. Everything that was stripped away.
Stolen.
Dreams. Hope. Love...
How long ago where they stripped away?
How long did I lie in the dark?
How long did the tears fall?
You, stripped them away. You, stripped everything away.
But I loved you.

Even though, in time. Even my childish innocence fell victim to you.
To your cold eyes and bitter words.
But even then, I could not make myself hate you. I loved you even still, as only I child could. Pure and innocent.
But know this, you, took everything...
Everything but this shell. A shell without love. Or dreams or innocence.
But you left me with nightmares. And sleepless nights.
Because of you I hate. You taught me hate and rage.
But even still, I lie awake at night. I lie in the dark and cry.
Cry because I still cannot hate you.
Even though I would give anything on this Earth to do so.
To hate you.
But I cannot. So I lie here, awake at night and cry. Cry because I don't know what else to do.
And I hate. And I hate. Because you stole from me my life. And so now, I lie here, a shell absent of life.
And I cry.
But only here, in the dark, where no one else can see.

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Author's Note: Feedback would be appreciated. As I started this yet have no idea how the rest of it is going to be. O.o. I do have some ideas though so, please, do not expect a hasty update.