Beneath My Skin

The strong features etched onto the angular bony face commanded an aura of hauteur that surrounded him. His greyish white hair, coupled with his wavy silver eyebrows, accentuated the assertiveness of his features. His stern expression almost never left his face - the facial muscles seemingly conditioned to be perpectually flexed in the same position all the time. When he spoke, the voice that streamed out of his mouth always demanded full attention and complete submission from those who listened. His tall and stout physique just served as a mere reminder to those who harboured any hints of rebellion that he could crush them easily with a single blow. He called himself the Master.

The training ground was one built on the foundations of fear. That was precisely the way he had intended it to be. He would have absolute control, right down to the most minute detail, over everything. With the shackles of fear firmly in place, no one would even dare to question this authority. His power was clothed in the garments of legitimacy on the basis of his self-proclaimed title as the Master.

No one on the training ground wanted to go through the strict regimentation and rigourous physical torture. But they had no choice. They were already there. And they could not leave. Not that they could not leave, but they did not dare to. Even if they wanted to, they could not figure out how to. So they all accepted their fate.

After the training hours, when the disciples were back in their bunks, they would sometimes curse and swear at the Master. Some would even boast about how he would one day go up to the Master and give hm a good beating. Occasionally, some would suggest some comical plans about sneaking out of the dreadful place. But all these talks remained as talks whose existence lingered only within the confines of the dormitories.

Enno was one of those disciples. He loathed the entire system. He always wondered why no one had the guts to do what was necessary. He had long wanted to fight back. The spirit in him was willing, but the body was weak. He could do nothing alone. He simply could not swallow conformity wholesale without any proper reason. But that was exactly what everyone was expected to do. Conformity was expected. Conformity to the rules was the Law. Obedience to the Master was something that needed no further justification and failure to conform or obey was the biggest taboo.

Sometimes Enno thought that he was plain silly. Many others thought so too. Despite that, Enno at times still could not resist himself but challenge the system on numerous occasions. And that never failed to infuriate the Master. When that happened, Enno would try to reason and justify, but he would be lambasted so severely by the Master that he would very often regret what he did. Many labelled him as foolhardy. A few secretly admired his guts, but conceded that it was a brave but futile effort.

On rare occasions when the disciples were given the privilege of leaving the training ground to the world outside, Enno would be overjoyed. But each time he stepped out of the training ground on these rare occasions, his heart would be heavy. He could step out of the place. He could even go as far away as he wanted. But when the time comes for him to return, he would still have to drag himself back to the training ground again. The gate that he passed by each time he was allowed to leave was a place of ambivalent emotions. On one hand it symbolised the hope and joy that he could receive from the outside world, on the other it reminded him of where he had to return eventually.

Enno contemplated the consequences of the plan suggested to him. If the plan was executed well, he could very well change his own destiny and the destiny of all the other disciples. If it were to go wrong, the backlash would be unimaginable. He thought about the countless many outside who were all fervently praying for him. He realised that he had the support of them. They would all be behind him, no matter how tough it was going to be.

He decided to seek help. The next time he leaves the training ground, he would seek help. That was the plan. To seek help. Even if the Master would release his immense wrath on the knowledge of that, he would seek help. The Master might be infallible within the training ground, but he would not be able to stand a chance fighting against a superior opponent.

Enno walked out of the training ground. He knew that he needed to carry out the plan. Because he really needs help. Because the other disciples need help. Because the Master himself needs help.