The Things He Heard

By Matt Shaw

Ben called it Cancer. It wasn't truly cancer. Although it may as well have been the way it was eating away at him. What if your internal monologue wasn't a monologue at all? What if it was something much more sinister?

What if no one believed you when you told them about the voice? Ben wasn't okay, he wasn't fine, he wasn't being melodramatic.

How long could you listen to an evil, crude, incessant voice in your head? Ben feels the voice growing, getting stronger. He knows if something doesn't happen to the voice soon, he might lose control.

Ben would do anything to get rid of the voice. How far would you go?

He can easily get rid of the voice, it tells him, he just has to do the voice a favor. Just one little favor, and the voice would be on its way, never to bother Ben again.

Would you inquire about the favor? Would you continue trying to ignore it?

Mental illness is often ignored or played off as something it isn't. They're just being melodramatic. They're really fine. You're ok, there's nothing wrong with you.

This is a hard look at that reality. It gives us just a taste of what (sometimes) happens when someone with a severe mental illness cries for help and is ignored. When will we be able to acknowledge that mental illnesses are no different than any other malady that can befall us?

Unless it was a demon. Even if it was, I still stand by what I said above.