Post-Credits Scene

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Year unknown.

Place unknown.

It's a breezy autumn day. A day she would've liked. I think of her on days such as these.

Tall blades of grain wave in the breeze as I make my way through the field. The path is overgrown but manageable. The bouquet in my hand—roses. Their thorns are trimmed and their petals are as soft as velvet. This pilgrimage is familiar to me, but it brings me no joy. It's a torment of a necessary kind.

The tombstone is easy to find. It stands at the highest point of the field, and beyond it, a cliff of jagged stone towers over the shining Atlantic. I approach with a heaviness in my steps. The ground beneath my feet feels hallowed, alive, saturated with her spirit and will. It calls to me with a strange and dark allure, as only death can.

But it's not so strange. After all, it's her.

America was like a shooting star across the dark canvas of history—red-hot, dazzling, and destined to end in tragedy. However, her brief time on Earth forever changed the course of history. As well as myself, along with many others.

Suddenly, her face appears vividly in my mind—so clearly it takes my breath away. As my vision blurs with tears, I close my eyes. She is there: her soothing voice, her wonderful touch, her beautiful mind. Tears slide silently down my face as I yearn. Yearn to be near her once more. Just once.

Her name falls from my lips.

And the roses fall to the grave, where the tombstone reads...

Here lies the United States of America.

A Great Power.

A Free Nation.

A Friend.

____________________________

"Children of the Empire"
by Weyes Blood

Lookin' like some clear skies
Have finally opened up my eyes
Livin' in a lost time
The dawning of a brand-new man
So much blood on our hands
King and queen of being lonely

Children of the empire see
That we're all lost

Comes a cost
Walkin' in the labyrinth without love
How much can you take?
And when are you gonna be okay?
Gain control of what we made
Instead of being afraid

Children of the empire say
We're long gone
In that eternal flame
Trying to break away
From the mess we made
Oh, we don't have time anymore
To be afraid

We tend to live long
That's why so many things go wrong
People selling their young blood
I guess that's the price you pay
Make desire but no one wins
Won't the fire burn us in
Before we get a chance to love again
Children understand that they pay for their sins
Seize control of what they made
Before we all fade away

Children of the empire wanna change
'Cause we're long gone
In that eternal flame
Tryin' to break away
From the mess we made
Oh, we don't have time anymore
To be afraid, anymore

Children of the empire know
Know that they're not free
Even though
They wanna be free
We know we're not free
Even though
We wanna be free

Spirit of the Nation ★ Female AmericaWhere stories live. Discover now