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The Inner Darkness

By Ryan Rahman

Illustration by Elton B. Wankhar
Fas est ab hoste doceri — Ovid

The inner darkness is not the enemy.
It is the untapped strength with which
I will burn away the soft edges
of weakness
And emerge harder,
stronger,
A force the world will not soon ignore.

I have always feared the shadows
of insecurity and unworthiness
that linger relentlessly all around me,
whispering secrets I have tried to ignore—
but today, I listen closely with intent.

From here on out—
this is now a partnership,
An unbreakable alliance.

The inner darkness is no longer my adversary.
I have been avoiding them too long,
pretending my demons are foes.
What if they can be called up in wartime?
Loyal soldiers instead of mercenaries?
What if, together, armed to the teeth,
we can fight our way to victory?
Failure will be dealt with accordingly.
We will regroup and go back on the offensive,
by any means necessary.

I reach into the abyss—
not to drown in the void of rejection,
or wallow in innumerable regrets,
but to drink deep with confidence.
Let it fill my veins
with venom,
with rage,
with fire.

There is a certain beauty
in embracing the inner darkness,
like a dagger glimmering in the moonlight,
sharp with its potency,
promising new paths untraveled
once revealed from beneath the black cloak.

Each scar is a weapon;
each wound the ammunition,
bullets to feed the hunger for triumph.
The inner darkness is no longer a palace for fear,
but rather, an armory for resurgence.

I will kill my way to success—
not with the spilling of blood,
but with the ink of the pen and the will to overcome,
cutting through crowds of doubt,
slaughtering mobs of uncertainty,
and sit on the throne of achievement, a conqueror,
knowing while the inner darkness can destroy,
it can also help to create anew.

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Posted On: April 2, 2025
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