https://Voice.club - A Lesson in Mind Control
Edwin hurries along the street, the leafy canopy opening above him to let the warmth of the sun shine through. He needs this additional warmth today. Last night’s unremembered dream leaves him with a lingering feeling of dread, which now colors his every thought.
He hears whispers in the surrounding bushes. These whispers have followed him since he left his front stoop. The words, unclear, echo his unspoken thoughts, adding to the dread he has been feeling for almost a year.
Will he conveniently “forget” his under-the-table income again this year? What about the unreported childcare payments? Why has he brought his son and daughter into his potentially destructive actions? If someone knows all this, why hasn’t he been caught? This fear builds with each step he takes, with each mocking, accusing voice he hears.
By the time he reaches the gate, Edwin’s fears have all but consumed his mind.
The whispers increase in volume. Now he recognizes them as children’s voices, seemingly directed specifically at him. Glancing around furtively as he enters the gate and pays the fee to the attendant, Edwin sees the children all staring at him.
“Cheater. Cheater. Cheater.” Their voices break through the fog in his brain as he turns to face his accusers.
"Stop following me! Leave me alone! He almost cries with frustration.
“Mister?” A young girl in the group takes his hand and turns him toward the first zoo exhibit. “We just came to see the big cats. My favorite is right over there: the cheetah!”