A Collection of Gothic Short Stories.

Cogito, Ergo Sum

'Ye foolish king, who wears the heavy crown, made of pyrite. Gemmed of quartz and garnet, as cloudy as thine own mind. Damned be us peons who're thrice times the king! More talent lay in mine tilling than in thine sovereignty.'

Among a field of crosses of the unholiest variety, an armored wanderer skulked between each structure. Upon each construction was a criminal, blood stained the Beachwood as though the cross absorbed their sins along with their life, an ultimate repentance. Was there ever a chance for forgiveness at a place like this? Where the sun hid it's face behind blackened clouds. The ground sloshed and ran like mud yet it never rain, not even worms came to desecrate; could salvation be found at a place like this?

A strange sight caused the man to stop his voyage. Before the man was a boy hanging highly and equal to those around him, no prejudice was taken with his small frame or young age. Looking solemnly into the boy's glassy blue eyes he asked,

"Do you desire your freedom?" In a low brittle voice the boy replied,

"Can't you see I am already free?"

"Yet you hang from a cross, starved and beaten like a dog, have you gone mad?"

"I have not wanderer."

"Then privy tell how you are free?" The young boy smiled, a breeze tossed his long, golden hair.

"You are the king of your own mind, I have the solace of freedom within me."

"Surely you jest, I can count each rib!"

"Yet I am full."

"Your voice cracks and breaks!"

"Yet I am not thirsty."

"Do you not suffer on that cross?"

"I have never suffered." Concern flooded the boy's eyes as they pierce the man, "What ails you wanderer? Why do you quest and implore me?"

"I seek to meet my God or Devil whether I be of holy or wicked origin." The boy chuckled softly

"You have met him."

"Nonsense boy! A slash upon your skin would bleed same as mine, you cannot truly fathom yourself a God."

"I say I will not bleed therefore I will not bleed, you may cut of my flesh." Searching for a wound of any kind, the wanderer looked about the boy frantically, only to find glowing fair skin. Below the boys feet, a single milkweed grew, deep blue in color. Upon closer inspection the cross he hung upon withheld its purity, the man could feel gentle warmth radiating from the angelic boy.

"My God! Why do you torture yourself so?!"

"I am not your God, I am mine own God alone."

"I do not understand! You speak in riddles!"

"Who gave you life, wanderer? Was it your mother who held you in the womb?"

"It was."

"Incorrect, it was you." The man flinched, it didn't make sense. The boy continued,

"You weren't chosen, you fought to be alive as your are today. Your body grew within the womb because it demanded life, like a leach you suckled nutrients from her bosom!" He broke into a giggling fit.

"Tell me wanderer, why does your heart beat?"

"I do not know."

"Of course you do, it is for the same reason as mine, to live! Do you understand? Be your heart and you will meet God! I need not seek salvation because I have already saved myself."

Words of wisdom spoken from a boy who looked so youthful shook the traveler to his very core, his reality had shattered. The boy carried on regardless,

"Do not wish, will it! Do not seek it, find it! If you truly believe there is power within you it will reveal itself true." Squinting, the boy looked at the sky, "The sun is so bright today"

"Surely not, it is covered by-" In the sky, there was a circular gap in the clouds that revealed a the yellow orb. Light rays showered the small figure, the cross he was became pearl in warm light. The man looked down from the sky and clutched his chest at what he saw. Where the boy had been was an empty cross, darkened and bloodied as were the rest of them. For a moment, he wondered if he had gone mad, yet resting delicately at the base of the cross was the same milk weed. Suddenly, the smell of burning wood caught his nose and he traced the origin to the cross. The words 'cogito, ergo sum' were burnt into it's dirty wood, smoke still dancing from each letter.