Let's Start Again

Preface

"Although there is no evidence that it EVER happened, What makes you believe that I am the one that you are looking for?" a female voice says from the shadows of an abysmal alleyway. "And not only that, but what makes you think that destroying me is going to make things any better anyway? You know good God damn well that it won't change anything that hasn't already transpired."

"I do not care what you have to say anymore. You need to leave this world and never return no matter what the consequences," a male voice informs the female voice. "When you have been removed, there will be no more worries and the world will once again continue on and can recreate itself. There will be no more wars, no more battles, no more wrongful deaths."

"You simple-minded idiot. There is no way to stop anything. You have no idea what you are doing. You can't predict the future. You can barely predict tomorrow. You even said yourself that the weather is the only thing that can even come close to being predicted, and you even said that it's wrong all the time," says the female voice in an almost bartering tone of voice. "Why can't you face what has happened? What makes you think that you don't have to worry about what you're about to do? Hm? Answer me!"

"I do not need to explain anything to you. I have come here to do what I set out to do and that is all that I am going to do. This conversation is over... Permanently."

"I am not afraid..." Three silenced gunshots are heard and then a body falls to the ground. As the rain falls from the cold, gray-scale clouds, blood is seen flowing into the city streets. The river of crimson empties into a sewer opening. Two sets of footsteps are heard echoing through the alley. They follow up the stairs and around the corner. Only ambiance is heard in the what is now a graveyard to one lifeless body.

"I pray to the Gods that you know what you're doing? Was it really necessary to kill her?" an inquisitive voice asks what is assumed to be the killer.

"Do not ever questions my actions. You must understand that my actions are instructed upon me from the Gods themselves. You would do well to keep that in the back of your mind," responds the voice to the inquirer.

"Still, I wish you would have explained what it was you were doing this for. At least to her. No one deserves to die without knowing why they are dying, you know? I mean, wouldn't you like to know why you are about to be shot in the face by a strange man?"

"No. I do not want to know what my life is meant for."

"Just because you survived that horrible accident? You think now that you have been spared that you must others in your place don't you?"

"You need to stop reading my mind."

"Look here, old man, I know what I'm doing."

"You need to listen to your elders."

"Not when my elders are murderers! You would have to be nuts to think that I should listen to what you have to say! You laid someone to an eternal rest not even five minutes ago! I'm supposed to follow that?"

"Listen!" the once calm voice now shouts. "We just killed the last person who initiated 'First Impact' and you are questioning my actions! So many people died in that accident, and only a few were left to roam this world!" The shouting voice pauses as if there was contemplation and hesitation in the next words that were to be said. The voice regains its composure and continues in a calm tone once again. "There were 8 that survived, myself included. The other 7 now are only but souls left to wander in discontent, and I will be soon to follow."

"Father, don't say that!" interrupts the second voice. "You will stay with us, I swear it! No matter what I have to do!"

The first voice chuckles to itself. "Son, you know as well as I do that there is no stopping this plague. It will eat me up inside until there is nothing left of me but a lifeless vegetable. Please do not take my actions upon others at this time as a negative, but a positive. I am doing them a favor so that they do not have to suffer the same fate as I will."

The bodiless voices now emerge from the darkness to reveal two men. The first voice belongs to an older gentleman of what appears to be about 60 years of age. This man stands no taller than 5 foot 8 inches, covered in gray hair, round, silver glasses and a malcontent look about his face. The second voice is embodied by a younger gentleman about the age of 20. This one has a smaller frame, about 5 foot 5 inches. With a full head of hair, and a clean cut look, he was the desire of many females. As both bodies walk under the downpour above, their trench coats prevent them from taking on much water. Puddles of water are scattered around them. They continue to walk silently, without words, down the sidewalks. The younger male has a grim look about his face as he thinks about what could possibly happen to his father.

Once again the father chuckles to himself and asks his offspring, "Son, stop thinking about what could happen to me. There is no use in worrying yourself." The son does not acknowledge his father's words. After a few moments, the father implores his son again.

"Huh? Oh, I know that father. I just can't help but to think about it."

"Why do you worry about it so? You know very well that your mother needs you when I am gone."

"Father, this will never work!" The son grabs his father by his shoulder and begs him, "Please don't go! Stay!"

The father looks deeply into his son's eyes and says, "I cannot stay, son. Tonight has been a trying night, and you need to keep this all to yourself. I took you along because you needed to know everything that transpired. I took a big risk in bringing you with me throughout all this. I know that I raised you better than to blurt all this out to your mother, the media, your friends. You are intelligent and you will go far in life, but you need to understand as well that this is more than just a one night thing. If your mother asks if you know where I am, you will tell her that you have no idea and that you woke up this morning and are just as shocked as she is. Son," the father kneels down to his son's level and says with as much emotion as he could muster, "when you are older and have experienced as much as I have, you will know and fully comprehend why I am doing what I am doing, and why I have done what I have done. I love both you and your mother very much and am only doing this to protect you, not hurt you." The son's eyes being to swell with tears. "This is only the beginning for you. Let us progress home"

Both figures rise up and continue walking. "We can protect you father, just like you are protecting us. Just stay with us and neither of us will breathe a word of anything that has happened. I will stay as silent as you." The father does not reply. The son no longer tries to convince his father to stay since he knows his mind is made up.

The couple approaches a two story building that appears to be an apartment building. The rain has now stopped and the two stand facing each other in the middle of the night. The only sounds that are heard are the occasional water drop falling from overflowing, clogged gutters and the piercing resonance of crickets calls.

"This is where I leave you, son." Once again the two look intensely into each other's eyes. "I will miss you both very much, and I wish to return someday." The father reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small ripped sheet of paper. "Take this and keep it with you wherever you may go. Live by the words on this paper as I have." The father gives his child one last embrace. "I love you and your mother. Please do not disappoint me, my son." The father turns his back to the child and walks ever so quietly into the distance.

As dawn approaches, the son hears bird chirping in the sunlight as if to entice the light onto the earth. He knows that his mother will soon wake up and he heads inside. He checks on his mother as he creeps his way to his room. A foreboding silence looms heavily in the air with a blanket of secrets. When he enters his room he looks at the still folded piece of paper and wonders what it says. He decides not to look upon it as the moment may not be right yet. As he lays his head down onto his pillow, he knows that he may never see his father again; however, what has happened overnight will stay with him, and possibly haunt him, forever.