Saturday, September 11, 2010

Knowledge City Blues

The city fell around them. War had finally arrived with all its fury and horror. Some later thought the initial victims were lucky.

For months there was no communication between the survivors. No whispered words, no furtive glances, no secret nods, no handshakes, nothing. Each was woefully unaware of the others existence. Until the night of the beacon. It drew them together.

The surrounding countryside was lit up for miles. Every hunger worn straggler ceased whatever they were doing for a moment and gazed up at the indigo flare as it fell back toward the earth.

An urchin nibbled nervously at his thumbnail as the light diminished and night reclaimed Her throne. He ducked back into his filthy corner and tried to sleep, but the blue flash burned in his dreams.

A young lady fell to her knees touching her forehead to the dirt. 'Thank you!Thank you! Thank you!' she prayed. This was her sign. Rising to her feet, for the first time since the attack, she smiled. It would be a long walk. There was no time to waste. Her first step is full of joy.
When the spark disappeared below the horizon an old man died. His death was peaceful and easy, blissful even. Do not mourn. He merely closed his eyes and was gone. There was no pain, no suffering. We should all should go the same way. Before he died he spoke a single word. What did he say? I don’t think you’re ready to know yet. . . .
The survivors emerge on the following day. Encounters are filled with hopeful trepidation. Like animals they stalk uncertainly closer. At times it’s a group of wanderers who spot a lone traveler and immediately surround them. No blood is spilt. No harshness or cruelty is echoed, instead it’s only curiosity that lords over their feelings.

What’s your name? Where were you when the firebombs fell? Where have you been? I thought I was alone. Do you have any water? Any food? Are there others? Did you see the blue light, too? Yes, I know. Come, let us make the way together.

And in the breach where the signal emanated sits Knowledge. He doesn’t know how long he’s been waiting. Doesn’t know how he knows all the things he knows. Like which night would be clear enough to launch the flare or where to aim in the velvet gloaming to ensure optimum trajectory and altitude. All that he knows has no memory and he can’t remember a time before the waiting. So Knowledge sits, waiting for the survivors.

Friday, September 10, 2010

In Mysterious Ways

When I died I went to the in-between place and God met me there.

“You mean Purgatory. You should say Purgatory. That’s what I named it.”

“No,” I responded. “I like the way I’m thinking of it better.”

Anger reddened the Divine face and the hands clenched.

“See! That’s the whole problem with you. . . “ eyes closed and there was a Divine inhalation of breath. The wind stirred our surroundings. “. . . people. You never do what I tell you.”

God slumped down against an oak tree. There was a two-way sign above his head.

“Okay.” I murmured, looking around and waiting for God to cool off.

The road forked ahead of us and the sign beckoned both ways.

“So. . . uh,” I queried after awhile. “which way do I go here?”

“What are you asking me for? You’re not gonna go the right way anyway.”

“Which way’s the right way?”

“Ahh son,” God smiled. “that is a very good question!”

When I awoke I went to the toilet and brushed my teeth.

“You mean bathroom. Brushing your teeth in the toilet is disgusting.”

“Aw. . . shit.”

“This is what I’m saying.” God agreed.

I shook my head. “No, no, no that’s not what I meant!”

“I don’t know.” God shrugged. “That’s what you wrote.. . . .”

Thursday, September 9, 2010

The Haunted Room

"I'm sorry sir." the owner says, "There are no rooms."

"Liar." the stranger's whisper slithers thru the air between them. "You have one room available."

"You. . . you don't understand sir. You don't want that room. . . nobody does."

Cold, peculiar eyes pierce the owner's heart. A chill creeps up his spine.

"One room, please." the stranger says.

The owner mops his suddenly sweating brow with a hankie and leans over the counter.

"Sir that room is. . . umm" he glances around. "haunted!"

"I know." and long after the stranger disappears his words linger still.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Dead Battery

Tomorrow I die. By firing squad if you must know and I know you just gotta.

Am I sorry? Repentant? Remorseful? No. You slackers need to be stirred up every now and again lest complacency take you completely.

There goes the warden. I hate him. He asked if I wanted some clergyman to grant me forgiveness. Confess your sins and be saved, he said. Fool. I need not his faux Messiah. Or yours. My God is within. That shall sustain me. I recall telling you people this last time but nobody listened, did they?

I suspect you’ll just stand around and watch, just like last time. Millions more will be there tomorrow though. Gathered and silent, not lifting a finger to help. Jus like last time.

Last meal? PB & J with a glass of milk. What better meal to greet forever with?

You wanna know what I did, don’t ya? I can see it in your eyes. That insipid greed will be your ruin. Gimme, gimme, gimme. That’s all we ever hear from you and I gotta tell you, we’re all kinda sick of it. Greedy bitches. Doesn’t matter, after tomorrow I won’t have to listen anymore. HA!

Still wanna know? Yeah, of course you do. Well ok, but you’re not going to believe me. Nobody does. Why do you think I’m in here?

I solved your problems. All of them. Nobody gets sick. No one goes hungry or is homeless. There’s no murder, no rape, no wars. People help each other. Money is obsolete. Everyone is truly happy in your world.

But that’s not good enough for you, huh?? Now I have to die because you can’t adjust and adapt to the true bliss I’ve brought you? Fine! But there ain’t gonna be no three day grace period like there was last time. Screw that! I’m gonna fucking massacre all of you. Thought Hiroshima was bad? Wait ‘til true divinity smites you.

I told you I’d be back.