Destiny

My shoes scrape the top of the concrete wall as I shuffle forwards, closer to the edge and away from the solid ground of the bridge. One of my shaky hands holds onto the metal beam and my other grasps Destiny tightly. The city lights fight against the impending darkness the night brings, the water below looks harsh and darker than the night. There's no light fighting this darkness. The familiar beeping of my watch informs me its eleven o'clock sharp. My parents are tucked away warm in bed, the cars drive by without glancing my direction, not an eye blinks. This is how things are supposed to be. This is what Destiny asked of me. I have roughly fourteen minutes.

Destiny feels heavy in my hand. Glancing down at the silver handheld tablet my mind races back to when I first received Destiny. My fourth birthday. Just like everyone else. For fifteen years I've had Destiny by my side, I've never had a moment without Them. Day in and day out Destiny has been my guide and led me on my pathway through life.

I remember the Seventh Year Ceremony, a proud moment in every child's life, when we really learned about the purpose of Destiny and our purpose in life. It was comparable to being let in on some huge secret that everyone knew about. It was life changing. I wonder if Destiny knew then.

On the very last day of the year thirty eighty-five, the year I was lucky enough to turn seven years of age, every seven year old attending my school was brought to the auditorium in that afternoon. Balloons lined the rows of metal seats, children of all shapes, sizes and tones piled in single file to sit where Destiny had directed them.

I remember the woman standing on the stage. The adults said we were lucky to have her of all people come to our school for our Seventh Year Ceremony. Destiny had me bragging about the event for years, it still made its way into conversation sometimes. After all, who would expect The Founder's great great great great granddaughter to come to our school of all places? I didn't. I didn't particularly care either, not that I ever had the chance to tell anyone what I thought. Destiny never said I could bring it up in conversation, it was always Tell them how wonderful your Seventh Year Ceremony was. and Discuss how great hearing Mona Blonkan give The Founder's speech in person was.

Mona Blonkan was an older woman made to look young. The bright spotlights beaming on her caused her pale complexion to gain a sickly glow. Her bright red lips were pulled back tightly over blinding white teeth in a grin, where the skin on her face should have sagged it appeared stretched and tight. Her hair, an obviously dyed blonde, was pulled into a tight bun that sat at the top of her head, not an imperfection in sight. I thought perhaps the bun was pulled so tight it pulled her skin too.

I remember her speech. I had to. Snippets of the original speech played every morning over the announcements before The Pledge of Allegiance. It was the same speech I can recall my mother murmuring quietly to herself as she got ready for the day.

At two o'clock sharp voices settled and Mona Blonkan's very old family speech began.

"Welcome one and all to the annual Seventh Year Ceremony!" Her voice didn't fit with her excited expression which looked to be plastered on her face. She, like myself, didn't want to be here. "You all must be very excited to be here, it is such a tremendous day in your life after all." Pleasantries came and went, all of the formal introductions and congratulations. Then came the speech that would shape our lives.

"To keep order and peace throughout all nations you must do what Destiny asks of you. For that is your path in life. Destiny keeps things simple and systematic. There was once an age of those without Destiny, those without a profound purpose. It was an age of violence and terror behind every corner. With Destiny there is nothing to fear, nothing we do not know. With Destiny we know what is to be expected. With Destiny we know what is to be expected of us. Following your Destiny will unite us as a whole, it will unite the whole world as a whole. The day Destiny tells you of your death know that you have fulfilled your purpose in shaping the world and those around you towards complete unification. Remember you should never question Destiny, Destiny says it's so because it is your Destiny."