There was a kingdom of glass upon a valley.The kingdom was made of solid huge tall pillars and prisms of glass. Grey Misty clouds enclosed this glorious kingdom and rain showers of diamond passed by. Black figures of hills and mountains could be seen from afar.The ancient kingdom stood desolate and empty. When the misty clouds retreated and the sun was approaching, streams of light struck the sky.Through the layers of endless glass, you could see the old mournful king. His beard was tarnished and gray. His face was stiff from many years of war. He himself had moved the glass pillars to build the beautiful kingdom that stood. With the last bit of youth he built his paradise. But he failed,there was nobody to enjoy the beautiful kingdom with which it came of no use. Nobody was left after the war to enjoy those beautiful rays of light. Nobody to admire his hard and painful work. Here the king would rot in sadness all alone. He could only recall the family he once had, everything he had lost. With nothing left to do the king sang a painful song.
"Am I truly alone? My queen hear my voice from afar!".
" I have built a beautiful palace, do you see, do the rays of light reach you"? He shrieked with grief. He raised his voice.
"My youth no longer remains, but this ancient palace beholds it".He winced.
The king slouched back and hoped for the queen's voice and the laughter of his son's. Only wind passed by. A shrieking whistle. The king did not cover his ears to cover the horrible noise. It brought terrible memories of the war cries.
A shriek of dead souls.
From the throne the king heard the faint sound of footsteps. A small clicking sound against the glass.A figure of a man approached him. He was a very skinny man carrying a brown bag over his shoulder. His feet were bare and blistered.The man stopped. Suddenly...
"King Ulysses," he yelled.He dropped to the ground.
The king gave a cold stare. The man bowed down in respect.
" It's been 70 years ," He said.
"Why are you here?"
"I heard a voice"..."I saw the rays of light".
"Have you seen other humans in this world?"
"No!" he said Crazed.
"Just me, I've been traveling for years from afar only to see the ruins from this war, I have more to explore'' .He said dazed, he then smiled.
"You never asked my name?". he said.
"It doesn't matter to me, you're only a passerby, " The king said."You must be hungry".
"Famished". He responded.
The king moved slowly up the steps. The man inspected the kingdom. He touched the walls and grabbed a handful of little diamonds.He was certainly awed.
"Wonderful, you must live a lovely life, with all this you have so much".
"No" the king said."This is nothing"..."I have nothing".
"My king you have won a war, you should be satisfied,this kingdom is yours, nobody can take it from you".
"SILENCE!".
"I had a family, it was far more beautiful than this kingdom itself".
The skinny man followed closely behind the king.
"What are you carrying in your bag?". The king asked.
"Little artifacts,notes, pictures,specimens".The man listed.
The king continued walking.The man took the bag off his right shoulder and rummaged through it. He pulled out a red stone.
"Here take this, my king ". He said.
"No".
The man recoiled and put the stone back in his bag.They walked through flights of glass staircases. They finally stopped. The floor was designed with details in the thick glass. At the center A big chandelier hung. It was full of sharp edges of glass and crystals. Large green leaf plants covered the walls after many years . A large table sat in the middle of the big room
"Sit here". The king's voice echoed.
"This is wonderful, I've never seen anything like it". The man said to himself.
The king carried a tray of grapes and bread. He placed it on the table. The man had reached in.
The king started.
"This ancient land was once covered in dead bodies". After years the plants finally grew back and the animals returned".
"I believed I was the last man alive, all my life".
After 70 years you are the only man I have ever known".
"We are the only men alive".The man smiled.
"I can imagine being the last man standing,After all you are a walking dead man, have you seen your reflection".
The king put his hand on his face.
"Perhaps I should look".
The man pulled out a mirror and handed it to the king. The king held the mirror to his gray face. The king's brown hair had turned gray and white.The king showed no emotion towards his reflection. The man finished the bushel of grapes and bread.
"You must be leaving now" The king said.
"No!"
The man reached into his bag and pulled out a gun. He stood and placed the gun to the helpless king's head.
" I am the son of the defeated kingdom, my father had died in the bloody battle where our kingdom no longer stands. All the ancient stones have crumbled".
He pressed the gun into the king's forehead.The king frowned, his weary eyes looking up.
"I have killed every last person I've encountered on my journey through the ruins, looking for this paradise. I have found it."
The king made no movements to prevent the gun from setting off.
" I would love to be the last man that lived on this Earth. In this kingdom I will establish my new life."
"What a fool, this kingdom is as empty as you, the paradise you imagine is only an illusion, if you are the only man what will the purpose of living be".
"Shut up," he cocked the gun.
"If I die my queen and sons will meet me once ag--". The king's body stiffened. He fumbled stiffly to the ground with a thud. Thick blood expelled from his body and stained the beautiful glass floor.
The shot went off. The man jumped up in praise. As a quiet chill had filled the air.
