The Son and the Sparrow

Chapter Forty Three(v3)

Chapter Forty Three

Alexander looked out of the window, savoring the view. There was something invigorating about the crumbled buildings, the skeleton of society. Humans were like insects. They settled on the earth, built on it, made it their own, destroyed its beauty. Then, when there was nothing left, they moved on, leaving destruction in their wake. They did this again and again, and would continue until the land they lived on was nothing but a festering hole of garbage. He observed the abandoned structures for another few moments, then turned around to contemplate the man he had tied to a chair. He stared at the finch, relishing the feel of his captured bird. Food sat on a small table. The finch's eyes were fixated on it.

Alexander unlocked the finch's cuffs with a small key. The finch glared at him with ghostly eyes. Alexander removed the gag from his mouth, then took a few steps back and folded his arms.

The finch continued to glare at him, an animal who didn't trust its freedom.

"Eat." Alexander instructed simply.

"Let me out of here." The finch growled.

"Shut up."

"No." Daniel growled. "I have a right to know what my fate is."

"Don't be an idiot." Alexander scoffed. "You deserve nothing of the type."

"Why?"

He quickly ran over the finch with his eye before answering. "Because each person deserves whatever horrible future is in store for them. We're all guilty Finch, and for that reason we don't even have the right to plead for mercy when justice finally crushes us."

"Not everyone is a bad person. I've never hurt anyone in my life."

"It's not what you've specifically done, though I highly doubt you've never sinned in your life. It's what anyone would do given the right circumstances. It's something you can't deny because it's ingrained into our DNA."

"I don't understand."

"Humans are brutal creatures Finch. We feed off each other like parasites. We do whatever it takes to survive, and then some just for the hell of it."

"You're wrong Crow. There are good people out there."

"Oh Finch. If what you say is true, then why are abused children more likely to abuse? The molested more likely to molest? Everything darkness touches turns to darkness, and there is no corner darkness cannot reach. We're all infected by it, one way or another."

"Why can't you let me go Crow? I didn't tell Leon anything, I swear. I would never betray you."

"And that's where human evil is harbored. Betrayal. It starts small, in lies, but then it just grows until you get fucked over. Everyone will betray you Daniel, if it's to their benefit. Even those you hold most dear. Everyone I have ever known has betrayed me in some form or another. The trick is that you have to use them before they use you, then kill them so they can't come back to get you."

"You're a fucking lunatic."

"No, it's the truth, and you're too full of shit to grasp it. You've never lived. But your boyfriend, he knows. He understands. But his problem is that he stays like you, believing the next wouldn't hurt him. And that's why no matter what he does, where he goes, and who he's with, he gets hurt. Don't you know Finch? Didn't that boy in school betray you? Your family abandon you when you most needed you? Even the sparrow, the person you trusted most in the world screwed you over."