The five stages of slavery - Acceptance

Hello masters and slaves



We are gathered here today to give our final words to the soul of the man who was once the beast


He has gone to a place from where few men have dared to go


We will miss him



Or not

 

As an unknown man on an unknown place would never have gathered such a interested crowd to listen to his story and willing to see the beast he once harbored within his heart


But for the most curious ones I give you how it came to this place for all of you to see and a chance to admire what he as become



Listen to the beginning of the end of his story



It will be worth it



The beast has taken over the body of the man he once was



The numbness from yesterday still remains in the mind


The night was a troubled one



The dreams it had seemed as real as life


They had form and sustenance now and they called out for it


They were neither pleasant dreams nor nightmares


But they gave it no rest




No rest for the wicked ones, some would say



Everything it touched seemed strange, almost unreal
 

The soft bed, the soundless rooms


It all did not seem to be his




The cold shower brought no relief to the fire that was burning inside of it


The breakfast food seemed tasteless and colorless like eating dirt from the floor



It dressed up for work as it did everyday


The clothing felt uncomfortable, almost suffocating


But there was no more time to spare


It was already late to go to work



It picked up the transportation to get to work


The people felt strange like they were puppets on a string, pretending they were really alive


Some of them acted as if they did not see it, while others looked at it, with empty eyes


Cold and lifeless


That coldness seemed to want to enter it


All it wanted was to run away from that


But it stood strong and endured



It arrived at the office where he sat on the desk, returning to that maniacal work it has been doing before


Those that knew it before came over and asked if something was wrong


Everything is fine it said, pretending that it was


But it wasn't



It felt wrong



Time went its usual way


Slow


Boring


Until exit time finally arrived and it went back to the cage it called home



He looked at the dark empty house


It seemed better that way



It found a corner to place itself and laid there


Alone


Thinking about what had happened and was going to be its life from now on


Facing the numbness of everyday life



It needed answers that it could not find on its own


It found the mobile on its pocket and called the only number that could be of some help



A meeting was set on a park


The beast sat on a bench


Lost in its mind, trying to figure out what to say and what to do



The one he called for came



Greetings were exchanged and they sat down


The beast tried to explain the best it could what it felt inside


He heard its story in silence


When it ended there was nothing to hear but the sound of the wind



He looked into its eyes with a deep strong stare


- I have seen many slaves in my days


- Those that have touched and embraced their dreams have found real life too dim


- But perhaps that was already their perception and the reason why they decided to take this route


- You have to find purpose in your life... or you have to find relief from your life



- What was learned cannot be forgotten


- All you can do is go forward from this point


- Choose the life you want to live or to live both lives.



- If you choose a life of servitude you will have to accept the loss of friends, family and everything you have built in your life


- If you choose a life without servitude, the numbness will go away eventually but the desire will grow inside


- You will have to be vigilant not to let it show its head as it will seek to destroy the new cage you will have to build


- If you live a double life you will have to figure out the balance between them


- Living both lives to the fullest demands an effort that few can take.




- Whatever your choice is you will have to accept it




- You can change the choice you make if you can't take it


- But be warned that nothing will happen without consequences



- Make the best choice you can


- I cannot make that choice for you



- If you aim to be all that you can be, I can take you down that road and give a purpose to that life




He left and the beast was alone with its thoughts




A choice was made
 

And we are here today




If you have found the story to your interest, step right up and see the show


Watch how the beast was tamed by his Master's hand



See all that he has learned


All that he has become




I give you no assurance that this show with have a happy ending


But I can assure you it will mesmerize you like the sirens' song




So come inside and be amazed



You will want to see it never end




To finish - the final step

The five stages of slavery - Submission

Ladies and gentlemen, masters and slaves



Here we are again, gathered around the light of the fire to hear the story unfold


Feel free to sit by my side and listen to the path that has been chosen


From this point forward we delve inside the belly of the beast


Stay close so you don't get lost



There is no return from this point forward





Like all great inventions, the next stage begins by error




The beast roams the street on his way to the next encounter


He knows he will find dissatisfaction in this meeting


It will be his punishment



A punishment to appease the beast within


It cannot wait any longer



So he seeks the wrong guy


With his wrong ideas




At the arranged time he presents himself


A door is opened and a person arises


A greeting emerges as he enters the lair



Moving forward to meet his challenge he hears the door close behind him



In the mystical place where the action will occur, space folds upon itself and takes all players within



The world they are on is their own


There is no one to account for their actions


There is no place for them to return to



Each player takes his place on the board


And the Game begins




An order is given



Strip



The beast obeys



All covers are lost


All shadows removed



The master makes his move and puts the beast in its proper place


By lock and chain all exits are cut


Eyes can see no more


But all other senses remain



And the master leaves



Perhaps the master will not return and leave him to abandon


Or perhaps he will return and finish his torment forever



What fate would fit him best


He does not know



Time seems to have stopped



Seconds seem like hours


Minutes feel like days



And there the beast lies


Bound naked against the wall



Helpless


Motionless


His breath is his only companion



No place to hide remains




Fear begins to take its toll on the beast



He shakes like a drug addict waiting for his dosage


Moving in every direction but not moving at all


Fighting the air for a step forward but not gaining a single inch



Despair fills his mind as he cannot fight what he does not see or comprehend


Words are spoken but none will listen



Strength seems to falter at each attempt to break free



All words dry up on the mouth until none can come out


Tiredness eat up whatever desire there was to move



All that is left is to give up the fight


And surrender




When all is lost steps are heard


Each one louder than the previous one



The master has returned



Something makes contact upon the slave's flesh


A warm hand touches a cold wet body


Each touch brings shocks in this closed circuit



The beast does not know what to do


To scream for surrender only to be left alone again or to face the challenge to what he came to do.




Better to feel than not feel at all


The only thought left on the beast's mind



He gathers his final strength to muster his words



Take me.... Master



Completely bound and unable to move, a heart is opened


A dream touched and caressed finally finding its true Master


An act of true love is made



All shells are broken until all is exposed and there is nothing left to hide


There is no need for that



All is given and all is taken


Gladly


Without effort




The Game ends and reality returns


Final compliments are exchanged and the path back home begins



Cold air touches the face


The mind feels numb but the heart is appeased


Each step seeming lighter than before




He finally arrives at his home after the long walk


Removing all of his clothing he heads for the bathroom for the deserved shower.



Stopping by the mirror on his way to the bath he gasps at what he sees


Words appear in his mouth



What have I done



He cannot see himself anymore


He has become his dream




The beast is born




How will the story end you may ask


You will know soon enough




In the next stage - acceptance

The five stages of slavery - Rebellion

Ladies and gentlemen


Masters and slaves


welcome back




In the previous stage you have listened to the dream where it all began




The seed was planted in fertile land


The rain falls


The cold shapes it like frosted splinters that cut the flesh of those unaware




The time is winter in the heart




Did the seed grow inside the beast or did it die out in such an hostile condition






Now I will tell you


So gather around and listen to the story of the beast




Having tasted the bitter sweet dream time after time, he discovers that the flavor is both addictive and poisonous
 

A thought is enough to make a heart race and the insides boil both in fear and anticipation of what is to come



This poison feels like an itch that doesn't stop, scratching both body and mind


To the point where the skin is cut and blood flows from the open wound




He is left with the choice of letting it bleed outside or inside


No other choices remain



This beast decided to let the dream blossom like the wild flower it was



He gave it a pretty vase where it could grow, a place in the wardrobe for it to hide and a check list to keep itself busy



A list of requirements for the dream to come out and devour him


Then he closed the door


Returning to his normal life




Time passed







His life became a duality



Half a life outside the closet




Half a life in the closet playing with dreams


In the last half he amused himself dressing up in costumes and checking out if what is needed has been met by anyone
 



But none to be found


The shape of the dream does not match what can be found in the real world




To keep the dream happy, more toys are bought until the wardrobe is full



Nevertheless the dream begins to wither




Dreams cannot come true with mere play


They have to be lived or they die out



He could not let it die or he would die with it


That dream is a part of him now


The skin inside the skin


The true face behind the mask that he takes into the world




He decides to open the door and takes it out to play


As he does not want the dream to change, he changes the reality in which the dream will be lived



He shapes the form where it will all happen

 
A special type of cage


A specific type of clothing


The way the Master physically should be


The way He should perform


The words He should say




He gave the dream a shackled freedom


He gave his Master an undesirable servant



Satisfying none and wasting time



Setting himself for failure


To keep in his mind that he was trying when he truly was not

What a beast indeed




This play continues time after time


Always giving the dream a smaller cage than it could fit


A marathon with no finish line


Just a run with no end in sight



What is left for the dream is frustration and anger




As a wild beast with no cage to hold and hungry for sustenance, it begins its fight against the one that holds it down


Destroying the barrier between worlds


Seeking more time out and more freedom to move




The dream is already too big to be held down


It does not fit a closet


It does not even fit a house



Still shacked to its owner, the dream pulls the beast away and drags it over the streets, seeking the key to the chains that bind its actions




Will this be the end for the beast, to be devoured by his dream in an unknown location



It is up to you to find out... on the next stage




The next stage - submission

The five stages of slavery - The dream

Ladies and gentlemen, masters and slaves, a good evening to you all


I am the Maïtre of this show, the greatest show on Earth

A show that will make your heart jump in your chest, your knees tremble with fear and the sweat run through your body like a river


The main actor in this show is a beast, caught from the deepest hole... so deep it seems to touch hell


A beast wild and untamed


It may seem like a normal human but do not be mistaken by its appearance

Inside that body lies something dangerous, waiting to come out that would devour all

Even without pointy teeth its bite would bruise your flesh and consume your heart


It is a scary show but do not be afraid

A cage protects the audience from the beast... or perhaps the beast from the audience



And how did this beast come to be, you may ask... then come around and listen



From the mind of the man came a dream

A bitter sweet dream that resembles a nightmare



In this dream he is lost in the darkness

That darkness has a life and a form that surrounds and envelops his body like a blanket


Suffocating

Taking the breath away


He fights it but the more he fights the more it binds

He fights and fights until he cannot fight anymore



And he lets go



The darkness ends

The body becomes free

The dream ends



Lights return as the dark embrace vanishes

It's taste remains in his mouth



He does not know whether he likes it or not. But he knows he wants to try it again



And the story unfolds


Where it stops you will discover... soon enough


In the next stage - rebellion