….He smiles softly as he gently places his hand on David’s and squeezes.

“You must not look inside yourself, for this is not where your strength lies. You must look inside me, and in there you will learn to be.”

David purses his lips and swallows a rough mouthful of stale air. “B-B-But how can I be strong, if my strength is not mine?”

He squeezes his hand tightly, while his smile wraps itself further along his face. “You cannot, for you do not have the ability to, so forget, and use what I have to see you through.”

“I-I-I, I don’t understand. W-W-Why can’t I…” He doesn’t get to finish his words as Marco slaps him across the face with a unforgiving hand.

“YOU DO, OR YOU DO NOT!” Marco spits venomously. “DECIDE!”

“I-I-I, I don’t u-u-understand.” David stammers as tears stream down his cheeks.

“THEN YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND!” Marco bellows as he raises his hands high into the air, preparing once more to slap David’s face.

“M-M-Maybe I’m n-n-not meant t-t-to,” David weeps softly, as Marco’s face drops, and his bottom lip quivers.

“Saints present us, for he who does not see is never truly blind, he just cannot see,” he whispers softly….