2 Death and Life

The Land of the Living

I warned them not to. I told them not to! I told them it would be a big mistake! But they did not listen. They went ahead and did it anyway, despite all my words of warning!

But I confess that I am not surprised. It is not a pretty truth that I come to tell. And they couldn't possibly have had the foresight to understand just how high the price for their foolishness was truly going to be. Now this is the town where no one ever dies. This is the land where you cannot cross over or pass away. This is the Land of the Living. But it is a curse, not blessing at all.

People who attempt suicide scream in agony, unable to die. Burn victims never heal. The sick and weak, the poor and starving, the injured and weary, they can find no cure for their ailments, or relief from the pain.

Victims of murder, rape and torture remain alive, unable to escape their agony. And the perpetrators who receive life sentences never die, and never leave. They are locked away in tiny cells and forgotten, left to rot away in despair and agony, but never to die. They have no hope of any escape or release. No one can save them. Not even I. The rest of the world has long since forgotten them, lost in their own suffering...

Those who have suffered great physical trauma receive no respite unless they can afford proper medical care, and even that is not always sufficient. Those who have suffered great mental trauma have no other escape than to face their fears head-on and pray it doesn't turn into madness. Those who have suffered great emotional trauma can only clench their teeth and surVivie.

Those who age can only wither away. Those who are hurt can only wait for the scars to heal. Those whose bodies die and decay can only pray that their cells eventually start to reform, and continue to keep them alive in this Hell that they are living in.

Screaming, crying, regret, mourning, despair, powerlessness, hopelessness, an eternal end and endless rebirths. And infinite finiteness. Stagnancy unmatched. Unendingness, and ending all at once. The ultimate form of cancer: a world that can never die, only replenish and live on, even if the eternal cycle and resurrection causes pain and misery.

They are running out of resources, but they are still very much alive. There is much weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is a very perverted form of eternal life. They can age and suffer, but never die. Food and water are running short.

But even if the cells restore and replenish, healthy as before, do they even want it anymore? No. The stresses of life, especially eternal life, are all far too much for them to bear anymore. But I can do nothing about it. I gave them my word that I wouldn't. And I cannot break my word. They must bear the sins and crimes of their nature alone now. Even if the burden is too heavy, nothing can lift it, except the mercy of Life, but Life is far from merciful. Life ignores their prayers, and I am powerless without Life's consent.

I can see it. They wish to shut down. They wish to cease. They wish to stop being overwhelmed and bombarded by new information, cluttering their brains and filling it until there's nothing left but chaos. They want to die.

But I can do nothing. I gave my word. Now, only Life can reverse it. But Life is far from kind. Welcome to the Land of the Living. They all wish they could leave. But Life is far from merciful and I cannot break my word. Who wants to live forever?

AN: Just a dark, musing twist about the concept of life eternal (at least while still on Earth, and vulnerable to all sorts of terrible agonies).