In a world where children go to sleep with horror stories and songs that hide life lessons. Where even before they learn to speak, children are taught who not to cross, are used to starving, openly encouraged to lie. And, above all, taught to flee rather than fight, because in a world where cowardice reigns, anyone who has courage is nothing but a fool.
A place where even the kindest and purest of men openly desire the death of their enemies.
It was in this place that our unfortunate protagonist: Shinghe, just another little boy among so many others, was born.
Now you see, Shinghe had nothing special, what he had was, from a very young age, great wisdom with life. This is due to Shinghe's parents, Maniyou and Bellapphine -"They are dead aren't they?"
"I- yes, yes Shinghe, they are, I'm sorry I didn't mean to… you know I didn't."
"Enough! I don't want to hear any of your bullshit anymore, I've had enough of you."
"..."
"It's okay Shin, I understand, I'm leaving now so you'll never need to hear from me again."-, taught him from a very young age all the tricks that life had. Not only that but all the ups and downs as well, how he could be let down, again and again, betrayed even, by people he never expected to do so. After all, wasn't that what betrayal was? You never expected it, because it never came from a known enemy, but from a relative, an ally, family - whether blood or not -, or friends.
Sometimes, Shinghe thinks about life and its many secrets and mysteries. He thinks of riddles left behind by a people who lived thousands and thousands of years ago.
He thought of ghosts - was the supernatural real? Some thought no, others, yes, Shinghe wasn't so sure, there were signs after all. - in the different cultures and in the different people who cultivated it.
"But…"Shinghe thought, he wasn't a part of any of them. Because all that was in his culture was stealing, lying, and killing. From angry gentle men to whole families struggling to survive, from little boys like him - children - starving. The pain and despair that you could only push your body for so long - you can't take it anymore, no more, you're tired... -, the hopelessness that this will never end, your time will forever stop and your suffering is painfully eternal.
So he decided he didn't want to be a part of their culture either, he, Shinghe, both a man and a child -"children don't exist in this society, treacherous but no less true, his mind whispers"- would escape.
And what better way to escape a world that doesn't want you than to tie a rope to a branch of a tree -"now kindly put it around your neck, his mind, ever so pleasant, murmurs again"-, and climb a bench?
"Don't forget to kick it away, his mind gently reminds him."
And not for the first time, but what he hopes will be the last, he listens.
Then he pushes, and the bench flips over.
Stifling - killing - all the hopes he could ever have of someone caring enough to stop him - save him, keep him from becoming just another number for the statics.
Too bad that's not what happened... the world wants him to die... and it wants it now.
So be it.
