I knew I was going to die. All it took was a falling tree deep in a Washington forest to pin me to the ground and bleed me out. A sharp stick penetrated my side, and cause me to bleed. The crimson poured slowly like syrup from a cup. I was expecting it to hurt more, and bleed faster. Instead, it was something worse than extreme pain. It was continuous, never pausing pain. It didn't throb or beat, it just was apart of me now. No one can save me here, My wife had taken the children and left to her new lover. So I went and had fun with my only friend, Mr. Jack Daniels. I was drunk when the tree fell. It's been so long that I'm sober now, and finally realizing that my pointless trip called life is slowly coming to a standstill. I ruled out the scenarios, no one will be in here at 4:05 in the morning, so I'm screwed like Charlie Sheen's career.
Right then, all noise stopped. The distant cars, the wind blowing, trees cracking, all of these paused. Is it finally happening?
Then I saw it. Glimmering scythe, Ragged, torn robes, and boney structure. Was this a hallucination? I cried if anyone was there, then I heard a hush from behind me. "sshh my child, no more crying, no more, no more, my children will be here soon".
I couldn't turn to see him. The stick did that job well. The tree atop of me felt heavier, and the air thicker." who are you "?
" Death, and my children are Misery, Pain, Sadness, Despair, and Insanity".
I knew this wouldn't be over quickly. "Children"?
" Pain will beat on you like a drum ".
As he said it, the pain on my side grew to my entire body.
" misery will be the last thing you feel before you see me ".
How was he doing this, because that was how I felt.
" sadness and despair makes you regret and loathe yourself ".
No. This isn't how it was supposed to end. How did he know what I feel so easily? Then he appeared before me. I was expecting bones, but I saw skin clinging to bone, appearing to have no muscle. His eyes were wide, yellowed, and the pupil changed size with each word he said. " And madness is what awakens inside of you to fight me off, keep you alive".
Then he left, and I can tell madness has seeped in and settled.
Later on that morning, Stanley Bank was found dead, tree atop of him, penetrating his side, into his kidney causing severe bleeding. But that didn't kill him. Something unknown did. Because his heart was in perfect condition, and there was plenty of blood. he would have lived hours longer. He would be alive right now. But he died without reason, with a scythe in the tree atop of him.
