Excerpt

Thoughts turned over and over in a mind that had no means of acting upon them, trapped in a ceaseless, yet timeless existence. Utter madness and clear sanity alternated with one another in an endless cycle repeating without measure. With no frame of reference it was impossible to tell how long the succession had been taking place, how many iterations had passed by.

The madness brought with it a forgetfulness that was its kindest feature; the sanity, in its turn, brought clear insights that, after a time, created a longing for the madness to return. Which of course it did, and the mind forgot its troubles for a time...

The clearest moments of lucidity held the greatest despair, for the mind always returned to thoughts of the true situation and how there was no escape from its imprisonment. How there was nothing to look forward to but the thoughts themselves, falling over each other forever – of an endless series of circular reasoning that spiralled into repeating insanity.

Of an eternity without the contact of others.

A mind could play tricks on itself when thinking of others. Did they even exist any more? Had they ever existed? Was their memory simply a construction of the mind brought about by being deprived of contact? Or was the lack of contact simply punishment meted out for crimes the mind could no longer remember?

A mind, given enough time and unstable sanity, could imagine the most despicable of injustices being served up in the name of punishment.

A mind could plan revenge to the tiniest detail.