Do you know what darkness is? I don’t mean the swaying of soft shadows on a path, or the eery depth of a cold night sky, but true darkness; When something is so devoid of light that it can pass unseen in front of you. Could you recognize true darkness if it was near you now? Today, a girl, distraught and on her knees, was forced to do things against her will, while crying, and while we watched. We took pictures, we discussed what was happening, we asked each other who the pictures were – but who amongst you actually cared about that girl? Who became angry? Who became sad? Who had an emotion beyond base-level morbid curiosity? Who had an emotion beyond shallow excitement? This is how darkness wins. This is always how darkness wins. I’ve been informed, by an exiled friend, with a message direct from her governing body, that this ritual may have changed Addison, and that she may not ever be the same. She may be struggling to stay in control, to hold on to whatever is left of who she was. The alternative, I am told, is no better. So why are we so accepting of this? Acceptance to a point of such broad, quiet consent, that we’ve already been distracted by shinier things. Like so many commuters slowing down to pass a car wreck, hoping to see the mangled remains of what was once a human like us; Why do we stare? I thought we were supposed to be better than this. We deserve answers, and verifiable truth. We deserve full illumination of the fog and mystery. She deserves more support than we’re giving her. Without a more forthcoming explanation, some of us will become that same consuming darkness. We will turn away from light and feeble explanation, and instead look inwards, to feed the demons that fuel our rage. God help you. All of you. This is how darkness wins. This is always how darkness wins.