The Dark Heir (SHORTLIST - Open Novella Contest 2019)

Afterword

On Assumptions:

Many people assume...well, a lot of things.  It gets us into trouble time and time again, yet we seem incapable of not assuming. 

Why?!

I guess in the end we all have to take a certain number of factors for granted based off our experience in the world.  If we didn't we would probably go completely insane trying to figure out how to put on our shoes in the morning. 

Every morning I assume my shoes will be where I left them the previous night.* I also assume that I know how to put them on,** and I assume they will do the job I bought them to do.***

Not being able to rely on these simple assumptions - not to mention the much larger and potentially life-ending ones (breaks working, drivers stopping at red lights, buildings not falling down, the apocalypse not happening that day, etc.) - would mean we wouldn't be able to function at a basic level.  They are a necessary evil, but never mistake that our inability to live without assuming is more than likely the product of an evil Dark Lord trapped in a galactic prison, just waiting for some vulnerable and unsuspecting human (or alien) to free him (or her), and bring total destruction to the world.

JK, we're well on our way to bringing total destruction to the world on our own, no Dark Lord necessary.

All because of naive assumptions like:****

• Corporations wouldn't create toxic chemicals, put them into our food and water, and then try to hide evidence of their wrongdoing.
• Incompetent people could never be elected as world leaders.
• Multi-level-marketing and direct sales can't be pyramid schemes if they're allowed to stay in business.
• Presidents wouldn't blame refugees and immigrants for the disastrous results of their financial policies in order to distract people from their greed and stupidity.
• Once people understand how horrible that is for the planet, they'll change their ways.
• My neighbor would never kill me because I have a different (skin color/religion/ethnic background/ sexual preference/political affiliation) than them.
• That (insert incredibly horrific circumstances) could never happen here, this is ... (insert country of choice).

Sad emoji face.

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*If you have either a small child or a puppy, you should never assume this.

** If you are suffering from Alzheimer's, Dementia, Parkinson's, or a host of other diseases which affect either the memory or muscle movements...
- First, I'm so sorry!
- Second, you should not assume this.

***If you are an athlete who has recently bought Nike shoes, please check this assumption at door.

**** If this is a daily assumption of yours, please stop now.  Every one of these assumptions has been proven wrong time and time again.  These can certainly lead to the apocalypse.