Pleas With Death

Hope Is Hopeless

    They can say all they want, but I will never listen. My decision remains. Days shall pass by, but they will not have my answer. Let them come, I say. I do not care. Let them come and take what they will, but my decision they will never know. Bribe me. Tempt me. Threaten me. Say all you will. My answer shall remain untold. To bribe me; pointless. There is nothing I desire. To tempt me; fruitless. I have nothing to be lured with. To threaten me; futile. I am well acquainted with Death himself and Pain and I are good friends. There is no one I care about. Let them tell me the wonders they can do with the knowledge, the people they can save, the wars they can cease. But they do not realize that to save them all will destroy us. Our world is broken because of them, the things they have made, the ones who they let live. Let them each die, may they meet my ever-so-sweet friend Death soon. 

   Our world is ruined, stained with the colors black and red, bearing their mark. The beauteous land we once resided in is gone, replaced by the barren wasteland it is now. Many either die of starvation or take their own lives. There is no one to trust now. Civilization has turned to an inhuman, feral way of life. Each living thing left has only one thought: survival. Regular people now kill anyone who keeps them from taking what they need. Friends turn and slaughter those they once loved for protection. Children devour parents in order to stay alive. There is no ordered world, safety is a luxury none could afford. Chaos rules with Discord as its queen. This group claims to have the answer to our problems, to save those who suffer. Many already bear their mark, their crimson rings dancing on its sea of black adorning every doorway of those they claim to protect.  

   It is them who now hold me, for I am the only one who knows what they claim to know. They say they can save us all, but they do not know how. They say they protect the ones who swear their loyalty, that if all those who still have an ounce of civility join together, the world can be rebuilt. They build an empire of sworn-in brothers and sisters who claim to defend one another until death, but what those who say they are loyal do not realize all they have sworn is a scam. This world cannot be saved by sweeping together what is left of us. There is no hope for our world.

    Hope is meaningless, a way mankind convinces itself that reality does not exist. Hope is what the weak use to feel strong. Hope is what the dying use to persuade their mind that they will still make it. Hope is what the prey uses to feel like no predator can harm them. Hope is what dreamers use to believe there is no limits. Hope is what the poor use to try and make it through. But what hope really is the belief that logic means nothing, that life is like a fairy-tale, that there is always a happily-ever after. But there is no such thing. The weak remain weak. The dying soon die. The prey is soon caught. The dreamers discover they can no longer dream. The poor remain impoverished. Life never was fair. She may sit atop her throne of blossoms and branches, but beneath her saccharine chair she hides her bag of tricks. Her scale has never been touched by the works of Justice, her trials never observed by an unbiased jury. Her word is law, and nothing can change what Life decides.

    These fools believe I will give them what they pursue, that they can overcome forces such as Life and Death? Life has abandoned us, and has given all her remaining souls to Death, who has kept Time and Fate busy collecting his bounty of souls. Pain has been like a giddy child, running about from one wretch to another, draining them of their energy and will to live, so they will accept Death as their new master easily. Happiness has lost hope, she never spreads her wings and comes to visit anymore, saying the flight not as exhilarating as it once was. Love is good as dead, pained to see what his mistress has done, for no souls accept his touch anymore. Our world is deteriorating, the forces of Life no longer supporting us. 

    I hear the footsteps of my captors descending the stairwell, and open my eyes, their golden glow illuminating the darkened room. My captors soon enter, two men and a woman, one of the men and the woman clad in black, metallic uniforms and armor. The third wore more detailed and decorated black armor over a red uniform, his armor accented with darker red hues. "Prepare for disappointment, we both know I will not reveal my answer." I said, my tone steady and unreadable. But the man only laughed darkly. "We understand you won't give us your answer willingly. We have tried all of our ways. But you are the world's only hope. We know only your kind knows how to save us. " he said. 

   Now I laughed in return. "Hope, a word without meaning. However can you still dream in a time such as this? My mistress has spoken, none shall remain under her rule. How do you not understand?" I replied. His brow furrowed, and his calm mask soon shattered. "How do I not understand?! It is you who does not understand! Our world is falling, and you know how to save us! But your pride is too great, you refuse to tell us how! Do you not see our world? Hundreds are dying every day! And you refuse to save them!" he shouted. "Why do you think the world can still be saved? Even if they all still live, their lives will mean nothing. Death always wins, and they know that. Just let Life do as she commands." I said, my tone unchanging. 

   The man was now furious. "Why have you condemned us all?! You're selfishness will be the death of this world! Just because your kind-" "My kind?" I said. The man slowly backed away, seeing the flames of rage dancing in my eyes. I stood from the wooden chair I sat in, my eyes glowing brighter. "My kind? Do you think I asked for this? Did I ask to become one of them? Did I ask for these?" I said, my voice rising. I extended my long, beautiful golden wings, illuminating the room with their brilliance. The guards shielded their eyes, but stood their ground, and the man fumbled for something hanging from his belt. "Do you think I asked to be hunted for my wisdom and power? To be caught and be treated like an animal?" I shouted, my irises and wings glowing brighter. "Do you think I wanted this immortality? That to live eternally is a blessing? To never be offered the freedom of Death, to ever be released from the horrors of this life?" I was now screaming, the force of my voice shoving the guards against the wall.

    The man had finally gotten a hold of the small, thin tube from his belt and unscrewed the cap, extending the mouth of the tube in my direction. A black, swirling smoke extended from the open tube, and wrapped itself around me. I choked on the thick tendrils as they wrapped around my throat, binding my wrists and ankles, and smothered my screams of pain. It cocooned me in it's freezing, dusty coils. I collapsed to the ground, my nerves screaming and my throat choking for air. Black dots danced on the corners of my vision, and the man stood nearby, gloating. He turned the tube upward, and the black smoke retreated back into the hollow compartment. The guards seized my arms, ignoring the flickering wings dragging behind me. "What have I said about flaming? Remember, I still have control of you." he said as the guards sat me down in my wooden chair. Drawing my wings back in, my eyes still flickering with their golden hue, I caught my breath. "Please, Death, save me now." I muttered under my breath. But, as always, he never answered. "You can never escape us. This world will not die as long as you remain." the man said. "Eternal suffering as well as life. Bring it on." I challenged, closing my eyes. 

   "Leave." I said, pressing my fingers to my temples. I struggled to hide the weakness in my voice. "Very well." the man said, and the sound of footsteps was heard, then the creak of a door. The several locks clicked into place, and the footsteps faded away. May Pain have fun with their souls. I reached inside my mind and summoned the image of my mistress. A thousand curses to you, Life, I thought. Why me? Why must I be the last of your cursed children? 

But she did not answer. They never do.