Interesting exploration. When you write, “He assumes that everyone possesses it”, it suggests that maybe they don’t. But I’m left unsure what is actually being referred to. Is it an inner voice? Conscience, or even just a sympton of consciousness? Or something rarer perhaps.

To me, the piece feels almost frustratingly vague. Which, now that I think about it, is a kind of triumph considering the guy’s plight!

One last thing – this is an awesome image: “he closes his eyes and it forms in his mind, as abruptly as smoke turning back into the flaming log from which it came.”

I’m with Spiderj on the “smoke turning back” line. That’s the highlight of this piece. What a vivid and bizarre image.

On the other hand, the term “gray matter” didn’t quite work for me here; it feel a tad too slangy for the tone of the story.