George sat in the small cage, staring blankly at the cement walls. His world had been reduced to these bars, a small patch of sunlight, and the occasional scraps of food tossed his way. He was a monkey, stuck. Time meant nothing anymore.
Days and nights blended, every one the same. Sometimes, he'd imagine what it might be like to be free, to run in the wild. But he knew that would never happen. The zookeepers kept him here, and the world beyond was closed off.
Then, one night, something happened.
A figure appeared in front of his cage. George blinked, confused. It wasn't like any person he had ever seen before. Tall, dark, with eyes that seemed to watch him more than look at him. There was something... wrong about it, a feeling that made his fur bristle, but George was too tired to care. He had seen so many strange people at the zoo. None of them ever meant anything.
The figure spoke, its voice cold, deep, and smooth. "I can make you free, George," it said. "No more cages. No more bars. I can give you the power to escape this place... and more."
George stared, trying to make sense of the words. Power? Escape? The thought was so strange, but part of him longed for it, even though he didn't understand what it meant.
The figure didn't wait for an answer. "I will give you everything," it said, its voice growing darker, "but you must accept it. You must embrace what I offer."
George didn't know what was happening. His heart raced, and yet he felt a strange pull. What was the cost? What would it mean to be free?
He didn't care anymore. He was tired of the cage, of the scraps, of the endless monotony. Without thinking, he reached out, touching the cold bars of his cage, and in an instant, the world changed.
Power coursed through him. It started in his chest, then spread like fire to every part of his body. His muscles tightened. His hands curled into fists. He felt strong, stronger than he'd ever imagined. His mind buzzed with clarity, sharp and cold.
And then he heard the screams.
It was like a switch had been flipped. George couldn't stop himself. He lashed out, tearing through the zoo, smashing through gates, tearing through fences. The zookeepers screamed, but it didn't matter. They fell in seconds, their bodies too weak to stop him. The city outside didn't stand a chance.
He was a blur of rage, an unstoppable force. He tore through streets, through homes, through anything that dared stand in his way. People screamed, begged for mercy, but George didn't hear them. The power in him drowned out their cries.
It felt good. For the first time, George felt free. He wasn't a trapped animal anymore.
But then, as the city burned and the bodies piled up, George felt something else. He couldn't stop. His body was moving, but it wasn't him in control anymore. Something deeper, darker, was pulling the strings. The same figure appeared before him again, watching with cold, distant eyes.
"You wanted freedom," it said. "But now you are mine."
George tried to scream, but the sound that came out was not his. His hands trembled as the power in him drained, the life in his body fading. The city was a graveyard now. His body, once strong and filled with rage, had become nothing but a puppet.
And in the distance, the figure smiled.