A flicker
The darkness parts
An expanse of black water
Slow ripples sway the boat
You are the sailor
Whispers call out from the dark
And speak your every deed
They know your name, your face
Everything
But of them, you know not
They torment you with reprehension
Remind you of your plights
And that, alone you are
Upon a sea of black
The ripples grow to cresting waves
The boat begins to sway
The whispering becomes a roar
Sharp, echoing through the dark
The voices scream
The boat rocks,
But still you are aboard
You clutch your lantern tight
And try to cover your ears
But days pass like this
Then weeks, then years
The resolve you once had
That innate, human determination
Has since dwindled
The screaming has blended
into your own thoughts
It is white noise
And still you are afloat
However, without hope
You plunge into the sea
Of your own volition
It is then you realize
The sea is thick, caustic
Not unlike rubber
To swim you must be strong
The sea has a will of its own
Currents form beneath your feet
It pulls you into the deep
You are drowning
The lantern's glow shrinks
Until nothing is left of either of you