A long time ago, when the world was not filled with much technology and not so populated- there was a young man by the name of Loup who always seemed to cause trouble.

The people in his village, all knew how crazy and scary he could be. He was rich, and treated everybody else like animals. Loup acted like the village was his to rule. But not for long.

One day, in the village of Arsaw, three powerful witch sisters arrived there. They had heard stories about the really awful, cruel and mean human being. He loved to go hunting and had killed so many creatures. And some of the animals he had killed, their spirits were not pleased with the many sudden deaths. Soon, their cries were carried by the winds and heard by the three light witches from Oakland.

The good witches waited to see for themselves how Loup behaved in his own hometown/village. They would only let him pay for all his deeds- if he still acted the same way even after they spoke with him about his behavior.

Several days after they watched Loup carry about bringing havoc and chaos, they decided that it was time for action. This young man needed to be dealt with before it was too late.

They made a plan to invite Loup for a quick talk and walk in the village. Loup didn't realize that his days of terror in the village weren't at all liked by anyone.

The three sisters asked Loup if he would ever change his ways. But he told them that he loved being himself.

Then the witches all glanced at each other and gave a nod. Suddenly, the clear sky became cloudy and grey. Lightning crackled really bright. Thunder was heard loud and clear like a gong.

And the three sisters of Oakland cast an unbreakable curse on Loup....

With all your current actions,

The lives you've destroyed

Be it human, animal or

Otherwise. Your deeds now

You'll pay for a long time.

But not only you, even

All your family members,

Including those yet to come.

Your ancestors for all the

Generations to pass, you'll

All become what you are-

Creatures of the night,

Ready to prowl and kill.

Gretzsa closed the family ancestry book. She was curious about the secrets of her ancestors. But now.....she wished that she never even came across the great archives room. Was this really true? Would she face the same curse like her greatest ancestors did? To make things worse, she was going on a date with the guy she had a massive crush on. And now she would have to deal with the chances or slight possibility of either killing/devouring her date. Wow. What a way to go for Nate.

Silence is unbearable, the never-ending echo of complete stillness giving rise to the phantom remnants of people no longer in my life. Their voices the loudest in silent moments as they craft my own personal nightmare that I can not escape. In the stillness they live, whispering evil slings striking a pain so deep it's hard to draw in a proper breath—it's an agony that strips away the will and destroys the soul.

That's why I do it.

Inflicting physical pain on myself dulls the emotions I can not hide from—it hushes the voices of my abusers, and makes the devils inside my mind happy. They devour pain—crave it, but that's not the only reason I claw deep cuts into my arm. I need to see it—I demand a physical representation of my internal torment. Something I can honestly feel and touch, a wound that bleeds like it should. A tangible sting, raw and ugly, to show what it looks like inside because people don't believe me. I can only say I hurt so many times, but without seeing my affliction they never understand. I'm judged as they cast their skeptical glances at my confessions of suffering. The public—my family and friends don't believe in the invisible pain, it's my secret. A special burden reserved for only me.

No other shoulders are strong enough to hold this weight, I'm alone with my demons—my wonderful inspiring devils that fuel my creative world, and ravage me from the inside out. This is my curse and gift, I bare it unwillingly and the worst part...

The most tortured reality to this pain that drives me to hurt myself...

The depression... The anxiety...

The asshole mental voices in my mind are all the result of people I loved. Those I allowed close, put my trust in, and welcomed into my closed circle. They crushed me into a million pieces and rebuilt a slave shackled by mental captors.

This is not a hell crafted by some medical problem, it's not a void I slipped into due to genetics, it was done to me. Inflected over many years. My nightmares were built by the ugly side of the world, depraved and beautiful in its own twisted design. It's dark and tortured and all I know. This is how I survive, through pain and tears and violent screams of injustice, and I have all of you to thank.

© J.N. Sheats

Inspired Demons 

featured in:

The Monster Unseen

A Mental Health Awareness Anthology