YOKED

Trauma can result in all consuming memories that seep into your brain through the senses. We no longer touch, hear, see, taste, or smell the same. These kinds of memories are usually tucked away in the dark spaces of our minds. But when we stumble on triggers in the present, that dark place is illuminated. Its revival can import us into the stifling atmospheres of the past. A young and fearful Keyarah finds herself trapped in this hidden place of her mind, comforting herself with an old story about a battle of knights once told to her by her Dad. As she ages and the trauma continues, its effects become too much, and causes her to conjure up Farce, her conscious conscience. Keyarah solicits Farces help easing the load of her circumstances. He refuses, urging her against her reminiscent behavior and trying to direct her to the option that can remove the weight completely. Keyarah continuously disregards Farce’s warnings until even the story that once comforted her is now tainted by her trauma. She has no choice but to put her trust Farce and take the steps to remove the memories that keep her in bondage. No longer physically yoked to her past, Keyarah ventures out on a journey to readjust to reality and reclaim the use of her senses. Though free to roam in the present, Farce still remains fastened to the memories of the past. The duality of their existence converge when Keyarah is provoked by memories of assault. Ignoring the remnants of her torture only drags her back into the environment that suppressed her. Overwhelmed and uncertain, Keyarah retreats back to her mind in search of comfort. It’s Farce who reassures her that there’s no way to be taken back, that she must push forward. Defeated and feeling as if she can’t advance, she remembers the story of the knights. Engrained in this story are the lessons of cleansing and healing her Dad has passed on to her. That to free her mind, and to free Farce, she must take agency over the past.