Lost for Words

Nihilism

The anthropomorphic personification of destruction sat on his deckchair, raised a bottle of beer and smiled. For most of his existence, he had been a brute of a man. But, as time and attitudes had changed, so had he. Now Destruction was a more studious individual: more calm and collected. Still, there was something to be said for the aroma of smoke that the breeze brought up from the city in the valley below. It was going to be a good night.

Destruction's meditation was interrupted by the sound of an approaching vehicle. He didn't bother to look. He knew who it was going to be. Instead, Destruction waited for his visitor to park up and get out. Then he fumbled through the cooler at the side of his chair and pulled out a dew-covered, brown bottle. "Evening, Chaos. Nice work."

"Thank you." A hand with perfectly manicured nails took hold of the bottle. "Do you have another chair?"

"Sure. In the bed of my truck."

Destruction turned to watch Chaos walk away. She was a fascinating figure: her clothing a mish-mash of styles; her hair spiky and punk. Chaos grabbed a deck chair from Destruction's truck, then dragged it back behind her, its runners scraping along the gravel. Destruction waited for Chaos to sit down next to him before speaking. "I really admire your work, you know?"

Chaos smiled at him. Her smile always reminded Destruction of a viper, ready to strike. "Thank you," she said. "I'm glad somebody does."

"Oh yes." Destruction shifted in his chair until he felt more comfortable. From the valley below came a song of sirens and screams, and the glass towers flickered with fiery reflections. "Did you have any problems?"

"What do you mean?"

Destruction gestured at the burning city. "Getting it started?"

"No. Not at all. Mortals are so easy to manipulate. All it took was a few carefully-planted seeds of resentment and suspicion, a random happening. And then -"

"Boom." Destruction nodded.

"Oh, yes."

The two personifications relaxed in their seats, watching columns of smoke rise into the evening sky and spread to form a shifting shroud of darkness over the city.

Destruction raised his bottle of beer in a toast. "Some are the spark that sets the world aflame."

Chaos raised her bottle in return, and clinked it against Destruction's. "And some just want to watch the world burn."