M had to choose.

A life of terrified existence with his fears and afflictions, or escape into a bliss that although would mar his existence forever, it could also set him free.

He takes the vial that the man in all white, all formal offers and walks away a sane man having a sane purpose of getting back with His people. Or he could not and stay locked up in his cell forever.

M had to choose.

Three days had past and the small apartment was closing in on him now. He had no job,no acquaintances and no way of knowing where his next meal will come from. Every place had rejected him after seeing his Sane Certificate he was obligated to produce at every job interview or shop. The cameras everywhere would catch him if he didn’t and he would surely go to the camps.

The fourth day was heavier on M. The white walls of his asylum cell were expanding and he could see a world full of pain and suffering. Small animals running swiftly to get to the slaughterhouse, blindfolded and giddy until they felt the knife of the guillotine. The sharp shrieks of dying animals shook something in his soul.

He ate the piece of chicken down to its bones. It was the only edible thing in the alley dumpster. The sporadic rumbling of his empty stomach for two days saw no shame in the food. He was licking his fingers when he saw it, his own shadow leaping to devour him. He started running, ran into the traffic, bumped into someone and his certificate fell out, followed by his body. The people stopped. Looked at the certificate and then at M.

One man gave him a hand and said, “You look so dirty and pale. What’s the matter with you?”

“My shadow was eating me.” M said and realized the consequences before anyone had even heard him. He dropped as the man flew aside. Another man simply tore his certificate to pieces and the traffic walked away.

The food was enough for him and his three little animals whom he had stopped; opened their eyes and saved their lives. He would hide their eyes from the butchering by being a source of marvelous stories. He told them of all the brave animals who had opened their blindfolds and tried to bring down the guillotine. He told them how they all failed.

And so they waited, waited till all the animals were slaughtered and there was no more shriek in the air.

Only the sharp thumping of the guillotine on itself. They waited till the thumping became a thunder and the guillotine killed itself and the slaughterhouse. And then he set them free to build a new world. The walls of his cell came back.

M walks into the asylum, torn clothes and tattered man. He couldn’t fit in the puzzle of society. He just failed. .All he wants is a place where he will die.

The doors of the asylum close behind him.

He finds the world a beautiful place that he doesn’t have to fit in. He just has to let it all play out till its all over. He will just live.

M had to choose.