chapter 11 : the holder of anxiety

In any city, in any country, go to any school building you can get into. Go to the principal and ask to see "The Holders of Angst". If they look hesitant, then you're in the right place. If they refuse to answer your question, ask your question again. In the end, they will reluctantly give up.

They will take you to the basement of the school building. When you go down the stairs, a feeling of uneasiness will surround you. No matter how you try, that feeling will still be in your mind, and it will get stronger every time you take a step. The principal will lead you to the farthest corner of the dungeon. The closer you get to that corner, the more light fades from around you. As the light grows dimmer, all hopeful feelings within you will fade away. They would frantically start cleaning the cobwebs and dust from the wall that connected to the corner. Once they finish, both walls will have bricks with indentations large enough to stick your hand in. The headmaster would then leave without another word, and it would be clear to you that you would be alone from then onwards.

You have to choose between the two walls. Be careful, as one wall holds horrors beyond the bounds of human imagination, while another will lead you forward. One of these walls will lead to regret. If you manage to choose the wall that leads you forward, you will see a dark and stuffy corridor. The corridor will be darker than anything you might imagine, but keep going straight. If you collide with something that feels warm and vaguely human, stop moving. Don't move or you will regret your life.

If you stay still, that warm-blooded thing will vanish, as if it were vanishing in a mist. After that happens, quicken your steps. In the end you'll think you saw the light, but that's just a trick. Don't head towards that light, for if you do, your very existence will be in danger. At the end of this corridor, you will feel something that looks like a door. This door will remind you of a medieval dungeon, with barred windows and a wooden plank bar to prevent the door from opening.

Once you've made it this far, there's no turning back. You can do nothing but open the latch and go inside. As you pull open the closed door behind you, a voice will ring in your ears, speaking in a language you will never understand. The voice would sound as if it existed and was nowhere to be found, every word you said was incomprehensible and would send chills down your spine. Do not move. Do not speak. Wait until the sound ends, until you can finally breathe. If you don't follow these instructions, the last sound you will hear will be an excruciating scream. When the sound stops, wait a moment. Turn around slowly and face the direction of "The Holder of the Anxiety." He would be wearing rags and his body would be scarred. He will look at you with eyes full of sadness and trouble, you will probably cry.

Do not do it.

He would start to talk about his life, but his voice would only be a whisper. He will describe torments too horrible to comprehend, terrors that will make your ears bleed, but listen anyway. Listen and don't close your eyes or ears, because I won't need it if you do. During the story, he will hold on to your shirt and ask you to help him escape from his hell. Remain silent, for this is just a ruse.

When he was done, he would curl up like a fetus and cry softly. You only have a little time before the sound of her crying drives you crazy. Ask him, "What would happen if they were put together?"

The Holder will stand up, even though he will actually lie back down on the floor. His face would turn strange, a mixture of anger and fear. He would then run around, flinging unseen objects around the small empty room. You'll hear the sound of porcelain, glass, and even wood breaking and shattering all around you, even though there's really nothing there. He would scream loudly in a language incomprehensible to human ears. Again, wait. Remain still and silent until the anger is over.

When finished, he will sit down. He would begin explaining the reasons why they should never have been created, the cruelties they created, and the unimaginable power they contained. He will occasionally stop to sob or throw objects that are invisible but feel real, but he will not finish. No, his madness had gone too deep to be resolved in a matter of minutes.

He would talk for hours, then days. Then the days would turn to months, then to decades, and then to eons. You must not falter, no matter how long you have been standing there. After what seems like an eternity of his story has passed, he will slowly stand up and walk towards you. He will touch the side of your head with the palm of his hand, and knowledge will flow through your body. The Holder will look at you with a look of relief, for the madness has finally left him. When you blink, he's gone.

The knowledge he has given you is Object 11 of 2000, and this object must not be combined with any other object for reasons that you have previously understood. Understanding will finally drive you crazy.