The Thirst is Taking Over

-part one-
"Water. I need water. Where's the water?"
The blind child ran wildly about the lightless cave. He would trip on a rock, face slamming against the ground, but would immediately rise and continue to ask for water. The gathered crowd could not see him, for no one could see anything. They were all blind. Well, they actually didn't know they were blind. They didn't know what blind was, because they didn't know what light was. All they knew was darkness. This cave was all they knew. Throughout the people's existence they had learned the paths of the cave, and had even formed a pathetic form of houses. This was no more than reserved sections of the cave for each family. And families were not the same as you know either. People are not born in that place. They do not die. People simply arrive and disappear. They have no names.
The boy collapsed to the ground, but this time did not get up. An old man kneeled down beside the boy.
"A substance is on his head, and on the ground that I have not felt before."
"Is he moving?" a young girl asked.

"No." The old man replied.
"What is water?" a young woman asked.
"I have never heard of it." said another young woman.
"It is the nonsense of a little child." said an old woman.
The boy never moved again. The people were quite unsure what to do with him. They would have nothing to do with this
foolishness. So, they threw the child to a part of the cave they had never explored. But after he hit the ground, the people heard a strange sound, and substance fell onto their arms which they had never felt before. It tickled, and ran down to their fingertips. The man who held the child's feet screamed and ran, but the other man stayed. What could this be?
He took a cautious step forward. Then another. Another. On the third step, the heel of his foot was on rock, but the other half was on nothing. He went to his knees. Feeling the earth before him, there was a point where the rock descended straight down. Very carefully with his right hand, the man reached downward. Suddenly, his fingertips touched the substance which had tickled his skin. He pulled away, but then thrust his whole hand into the "whatever it was." His left hand came next. It was cold. Cupping his hands together, the young man brought this strange thing close to his face. He sniffed suspiciously. He could smell nothing. He brought it to his mouth and took one small sip. Instantly pain shot through his entire body. He screamed in agony. His lips began to thrive with a burning pain. Getting to his feet, he ran for his people.

-part two
It did not take long. The young man had scarcely been with his people long enough to tell them what happened. It was then. Just when he finished telling them. The thirst took over.
"Water! I need water. Where is the water?"
The words sounded very familiar to the young man, but he could not remember why. He did not even know why he was saying these words. But whatever he had drank. He needed more. The young man began to run, much like the young child had, in circles and back and forth.
"Where is the water!" He ran into a wall, fell, got back up. Screams filled the cave. Young children began to cry.
"What is going on?" cried the old man.
The young man ran into a young boy who fell and hit his head.
"Be careful!" cried the boy.
"Give me water!" cried the young man.
"Someone hold him down!" cried the old man.
Two strong men came and threw the young man to ground, holding him there.
The young man began to shake violently.
"Just a drop. Just a drop on the tongue!" He cried. "I'm so thirsty."
The convulsions eventually stopped, and the strong men released him.
But for days the water was all the young man spoke of. He could think of nothing else.
Some days he would just scream. He could think of nothing but the water.
The young man began to shake constantly now.
"Just a taste. Just a taste." he would repeat over and over and over again.
"What's your problem?" the people would ask.
The young man, still shaking, would grab them by the shoulders.
"The thirst is taking over!"

-part three-

"I know where the water is." said the other man who had been touched by it.
The young man's eyes grew wide.
"You remember?" he screamed for all to hear.
"Yes. I think so."
"He remembers where the water is!" he cried.
"But are you sure you should have it? Look what one taste did to you."
The young man fell to the ground. The convulsing had returned, but now he could hardly breathe.
"Wa'er." He barely spoke. "Just a tas'.
The other young man picked him up in his arms, and ran toward the water.
The whole time the young man repeated the words, "just a taste. Just a taste. Just a taste."
At last the two arrived.
"Throw me in." said the young man,
"I can't."
"Throw me in!"
"Don't make me."
"Please. Please." He began to weep. To beg. "Please throw me in."
The other young man began to feel the same wet substance coming from his eyes.
"What's happening?"
"It's the thirst. The thirst! Throw me in, and then have a drink."
SPLASH!
The young man was engulfed in water. He drank deeply but it was not enough. He drank more. More. More. More. It was never enough. It did not take long. The young man kept drinking and drinking until at last he could open his mouth no more, and he drowned.
The other young man knelt cautiously close by, and had just a small sip.