VINDICTA

The four walls of his room imprisoned him. A cage that kept him form the outside world. However it was an open cage; never was it shut nor has it ever kept him from leaving. The true bane of his freedom was that diabolical entity that not only kept him within the four walls but kept him oblivious to all intentions of escape. At first glance, it seems harmless. Why, none would ever expect that such power was to be contained in that devious frame. Oh how I nearly succumbed to its power!

He, however, was not as fortunate. Its power was great that it consumed his soul; kept within a pseudo-prison with bars of fear and a lock of selective comfort. Escape was, to him at least, quite possibly the biggest mistake he can make. He chose to stay within the prison; disillusioned by the white-laced lies that his captor fed into his drugged mind. Such was the reason he first came into the prison; lured by visions of grandeur and promises of luxury.

It was then that Mr. Ringworth came along and introduced himself. He was a rather odd man. Well-dressed, yes; but still odd. The odd man was tall, about twenty hands or so high and he had the scent of a library with a hint of smoke on him. One of his most distinguishing traits was probably his long (and I do mean long) moustache which he twitched every few minutes. He spoke slowly and with a notable nasal accent. "Good evening, sir."

At first, he was ignored. A moment of silence passed before Mr. Ringworth spoke again. "Master Cotton wishes to have a word with you, Master Met." The obviously engrossed Met paused from his mindless finger-tapping and finally (while still staring at a glow before him) spoke to Ringworth, "Cotton? THE Josh Cotton?"

"Yes, sir."
"Who's that?"
"Master of House. Master of Master Methuselah Rin."
"I see." Met nodded in astonishment, "Tell him I will come."

Ringworth bowed just as slowly as he spoke and walked out. Met resumed his finger-tapping that seemed to have no conclusion save the occasional breaks he would take to stare at the hypnotic glow before him. Only a few turns of the bamboo tube outside the room and Ringworth was once again bowing to Met but with a different message from his first visit. "Master Cotton will see you now."

"He will?" Met turned to Ringworth; revealing the burden beneath his eyes. "Tell him I'm coming."