The Cage - Chapter Ten

John thought again and the scene changed. He was now standing at the edge of a cliff. The sky was dark and stormy and the wind was blowing. The woman had a puzzled look on her face as she did not quite know what was going on.

“I’m sorry.” John said, “I don’t have any bad feelings toward you but I can’t live like this.” John took a step toward the cliff. As he looked down, there were jagged rocks below. If he jumped he would surly die. The woman ran toward him and fell on her knees.

“I love you. Please don’t do this.” She pleaded. Her face was filled with horror. She started crying uncontrollably. John stepped off the cliff.

John started falling. He felt completely free. The spray from the storm hit him in the face and he let go of all his struggles. In a few moments he would be at peace.

In a few moments the end would come. A few more moments passed and the end didn’t come. John didn’t understand what was going on. A few more minutes he passed out.

John woke up strapped to a table in a dimly lit room. The Woman’s father was there, “Where am I?” John was still a bit disoriented.

“You’re in what you would call a mental health facility. You are strapped down for your own protection.” The man explained, “You have a mental illness and we are going to cure you of it.”

“What are you talking about?” John was not quite following along yet.

“We can change the part of your brain that is causing you to want to do harm to yourself. You’ll then be happy”

“But I won’t be me anymore” John protested.

“My daughter can’t bear the thought of you dying.” The woman’s father explained.

“Can she bear the thought of you making me somebody else?” John shot back “I don’t hate you or your daughter, as a creature that is self-aware, let me decide my own fate.” John knew he had no control over his own fate but he pleaded to end his life anyway.

“As your owner, I will let my daughter decide your fate.” The woman’s father relented.

The woman came into view. She was there the whole time only John could not see her. “We can make you happy.” The woman said

“I love you” John told her, “But if you change me I will be somebody else. If you really love me, you will let me die.” John was hoping that this last plea would appeal to her emotions, if she truly had any.

“I do Love you” she said sobbing as she left the room. The woman’s father came back into view.

“It’s been settled then.” HE said. He took a needle and injected John in the arm. John faded into nothingness.

THE END