The Unrelenting

I

January 1, 2017

In tonight's news, President Evans has an important announcement many of us have been waiting for:

I sat on my worn out, and slightly dirty, couch, gripping my beer tightly. I eagerly waited to hear the news, as were many others all throughout the nation.

Hello America, and Happy New Year! It is with great pleasure that I stand before you today, holding information that will change humanity as we know it. Many of you have been awaiting this news for far too long, and I'm happy to say that I can finally tell you to put aside your fears. This is a new year, and a new America!   

Shouts of excitement rang throughout the crowd, begging the President to continue. There weren't many in the nation that were opposed to this new development; only a few protested. Unfortunately, one of those few protestors sat next to me on the couch; so close that our arms occasionally brushed together. I glanced at the man to see that he was also gripping his beer tightly, the only indication that this whole situation put him on edge. Upon further inspection, however, his usually blank face was slightly creased with worry, his dark, shoulder length hair looked as if he had been running his hands through it, and his usually clean-shaven face dusted in a mouth-watering five-o'clock shadow.

This man, Hagan, is my best friend and has been for many years. At a young age Hagan ran away from home and had somehow managed to find himself on the front steps of my family's farm. At the time he was small and frail, a frightened little boy looking for somewhere to belong. It was a stark contrast to the man he grew to be – the equivalent to tall, dark, and handsome. Looking at him now, in all his glory, no one would ever guess that he's faced more hardships in his life than the average person. Despite being his closest friend, Hagan has never gone into detail about his previous home life, let alone what pushed him to run away at the ripe age of 10 years old. None-the-less, I thanked whatever higher power there was that he ended up here and that my parents were kind enough to take on another mouth to not only feed, but to love.

"Stop," was the only word Hagan spoke. He hadn't removed his eyes from the television, but I knew what he was talking about. I had a bad habit of bouncing my foot when I was nervous, and it drove my best friend insane.

Behind President Evans, three men in black suits pushed a sheet covered cage until it was in the center of the stage. Everyone knew what was inside, I knew what was inside, and my heart began to beat rapidly. The tone of the audience suddenly became melancholic, and the presidents face took a somber expression.

I know everyone in this room, myself included, has suffered greatly in their lifetime. Humans are the superior race among our planet, yet there is one thing we cannot elude: death. Death has visited each and every one of us, in one way or another.

He took a deep breath, and I could almost feel his pain.

Losing my wife was the most painful thing I have ever went through. It changed me, and I know I'm not the only one who has been consumed by grief. And that is why I have collaborated with the best scientists in the world to make our nation a better place. After tonight there will be no more grief, there will be no more pain. After tonight, there will be no more DEATH!

The entire stadium erupted in cheers, and Hagan shook his head slightly. "This can't be a good idea." I sighed, already aware of his opinion. He believed in the natural order of things and that no good could come from this.

Before I could say a word the hinges on my front door groaned in protest as they opened, followed by two sets of footsteps running in our direction. My mother soon came into view, pulling along my seven-year-old brother Sebastian. Even though I'm 23 years old, my mother still hasn't learned that I'm a grown man and she should give a slight warning before barging through my door. She has barged in on me at the most inopportune times, doing things that a mother should never see her son do. Still, she hasn't learned her lesson so instead of complaining, I just take my brother from her arms and place him in my lap.