"Want to see something else?" the figure asked me.
 
I swallowed. It seemed like this figure had a tremendous influence. Not only did he show me how horrible things could happen. He seemed to open me up to see everything that didn't make sense and I always refused to believe.
 
And it was all proven when he took me to a place. He took me to a mental hospital.
 
"Are you ready?" he asked me.
 
I gulped once more. No, I wasn't ready. But my fear couldn't stop the curiosity inside me. I nodded slowly, and we walked towards the entrance of the asylum.
 
We went through the dark and forbidding hallways. The atmosphere was eerie, with faint whispering voices and steps heard in the distance. My heart was racing, anxiety engulfing me, but I continued my steps steadily.
 
The figure opened the door to the first room. I entered the room hesitantly, and inside stood several patients with unnatural facial expressions. Some were smiling madly, some were constantly trembling, some were talking incessantly. Looking at them made me feel sick.
 
This was not a scene that could be described in words. "Is what I'm seeing real?" I whispered to the figure.
 
He just smiled mysteriously, then led me to another room. There, I saw a patient tied to a bed, with a blank stare and an expression full of fear. She could only whimper and scream quite loudly.
 
I wanted to feel the panic she felt, I wanted to understand what she was going through. But the figure pulled my hand and led me to the next room. In that room, I saw a patient who was trying to hurt himself. Blood was flowing all over his body, but he looked calm and happy. The expression on his face was full of satisfaction and pleasure. I wanted to scream, wanted to run away from this place that could show me this dark side of life.
 
But the figure didn't stop. It continued to take me through the next chambers, showing me more horrific scenes that I couldn't have imagined before. Each step we took further plunged me into a darkness filled with madness and sorrow.
 
Finally, we exited the asylum. I felt a deep sense of exhaustion. My body felt heavy and my mind was plagued by darkness and fear. How could there be so much suffering in this world? How could there be so many people living in darkness and despair? The figure smiled meaningfully, as if it understood all my doubts on my face.
 
"You see it now," he said in a firm yet knowing tone. "This is the reality of life, which is often overlooked and forgotten by many."
 
I pondered deeply. This experience had opened my eyes, teaching me to understand and value mental health if I didn't want to end up in a place like this in the saddest way possible. That figure may have been frightening, but he was the embodiment of the inevitable facts of life.
 
"But there's still someone you haven't met yet. We're going back inside," she said as she took my hand.
 
"Who? Who are you talking about?" I asked curiously. I honestly didn't feel like getting more involved with this strange figure. But for some reason he seemed to make me follow his wishes. He seemed to bewitch me into obeying him.
 
The mysterious figure then pulled my hand and led me inside. Once I got inside the asylum again. He dragged me into a room.
 
She opened the door to the room, and there, I saw a woman who looked haggard and tired. From the look on her face, she looked like she was on the verge of death.
 
When the woman turned her head, I was shocked. It turned out to be a woman similar to the woman who set fire to the car, which I had seen before.
 
How shocked I was to see that the woman who destroyed the car was in a mental hospital. Was this a coincidence? Or was there a deeper connection between us?
 
The mysterious figure smiled knowingly at the woman, as if she knew what was happening. The woman looked confused and scared, suddenly she knelt down and begged the mysterious figure.
 
"What do you want from me? Please, give me a chance to explain everything," she said in a desperate voice.
 
The mysterious figure was silent for a moment, as if he was considering her request.
 
Finally, he nodded slowly and said, "Alright, speak up."
 
 
 
The woman began to tell her life story. She talked about how her life had fallen apart since losing her loved one, about how she felt broken and helpless. She expressed the feelings of loss, sadness, and loneliness that haunted her. He talked about how he felt hopeless, and eventually tried to vent his anger and frustration in the wrong way.
 
The mysterious figure listened with care and empathy. She did not judge or blame the woman, but understood her situation.
 
After the woman finished telling her story, the mysterious figure said wisely, "You have been on the brink of deep darkness, but don't let yourself sink into it. Life gives us second chances to rise up and learn from our previous mistakes."
 
The woman looked at the mysterious figure with tears in her eyes. She felt that the figure's presence gave her warmth and hope in her life, she felt that the mysterious figure was like a protector who would help her overcome difficulties and the healing she needed.
 
On that journey, I realized that the mysterious figure was a representation of the courage to face harsh realities and the awareness to improve oneself. It has led me to witness and understand how fragile one's mental health can be, and the importance of support and understanding from others. Or you could say a sense of empathy, a sense of humanity to care for each other in the name of suffering.
 
The two of us, the shattered woman and the curious me, felt connected by a common experience. We shared fear, sadness, and hope. And in doing so, this journey became a turning point in my life. I learned to accept the darkness that exists in this world, and embrace every opportunity to create light for those who feel trapped in adversity.
 
But were those really the sincere words I wanted to say? I once again, doubted myself as I always seem to get carried away. I realized how weak my principles were, allowing me to get carried away.
 
Just because I saw those traumatic events, did it make me waver? I feel like I'm being played, my heart and mind are really being played. I... I don't want things like this to keep happening.
 
I stared at the mysterious figure intently. "Hey... are you doing all this on purpose to make my heart waver?" I accused him.