A meaningful decision by John Pallister (read me a book TXT) đ
- Author: John Pallister
Book online «A meaningful decision by John Pallister (read me a book TXT) đ». Author John Pallister
Drake sat in a battered worn chair surrounded by the vile stench of yesterdayâs drunken desperation. His eyes were transfixed on the calendar which had held so many memories of a chaotic past. There wasnât a purpose to his existence having to live through the social and economic collapse of the late 21 century. Families ripped apart, the senseless power struggle between all aspects of class, race, and social status had slowly destroyed the bonds of humanity. Distrust, paranoia was now worse after the expression of freedom had broken down an already corrupt system. Somehow he felt by breaking out of the chains he no longer understood his place or identity anymore and longed for the shackles to be put in place. Maybe institutionalism was the best system after all. A chaotic existence was in place now but the fact of the matter the human race was dying. It was always dying but now it was dying through a long drawn out process of separation. No structure, no law no rules. All he knew was it was best to be a drifter, bringing in other people was dangerous and the half formed gangs with basic structure were nothing more then scavengers. He had never been self centred but his strong sense of survival was achieved by his emotional withdrawal from any form of human relationship or compassion. He was alive and he was the best at doing so. Some had gone in the first wave of attacks not giving up on life but ending their lives because of the grim realisation of having to kill or steal from your closest friends in order to preserve your own life. Loyal groups who stayed together were slowed down and the perceived lucky survivors had to watch their loved ones being killed eventually. Those who bravely protected others were killed in vain knowing their sacrifice wouldnât in the long term save those they died to protect.
How Drake longed for the touch of a female companion somebody he could cherish hold close and feel what was left of love through physical and emotion bonding.
He refocused his eyes reminding himself to stay sharp. His focus was pure survival everything else would have to be blocked out. The squat of his present location or home he had had to wait for several days was ironically ideal. Untrained desperate and scared groups of people had fought to the death over this hell hole. He knew that that a hell hole was best; God the human race was so materialistic even now. Many of the better slightly less damaged properties were like sieges from small unorganised civilian armies to hold onto these areas. At the end of the day it was futile and the modern civilisation of the 20 and 21 century had stripped the majority of people to be so dependant on a corrupt system, told what to wear, what to eat that the majority of the people now free had no opinion no idea or the ability to think on their own accord. There would probably be some power crazed deluded idiot somewhere trying to hold onto the very few banknotes that were scattered around. Paper notes were useless to survival.
Drakeâs days started with uncertainties he figured if he accepted his fate that he would die then he was free from anger or fear to do anything and this illogical mind set had made the pointless seem relevant. Turning off his inner voice he moved towards the bedroom. A broken bed frame with a torn mattress supported his bruised and tired body perfectly as it was his mind that needed peace; his body had taken the steps to preserve life automatically his mind was still battling this concept. A noise woke Drake from a semi state of consciousness; he grabbed a plank of wood and shuffled slowly towards the door. The door rattled again but this time softer. Why on earth would anybody knock on the door calmly? He let his guard down and proceeded to the door.
âWhose there?â He cried.
There was no answer.
âWhose there, goddamit?â
âDoes it matter who I am; you open the door and youâll attack me regardless?â A womanâs voice said
âThatâs not true?â He said
âWell open up then.â
âWhy I donât know who you are or what you want?â Drake replied.
âSuit yourself Iâll just be on my way.â
Drake opened the door and the pretty but determined woman pushed her way in.
âNow that wasnât difficult was it?â
âNow look here lady I donât know what the hell you want but youâre not welcome here.â
âI know but you let me in rather then allow to me leave so you must want some company.â
âWhat I want is irrelevant, youâll slow me down youâll be a hindrance. â
This woman was very intriguing maybe it was her irrationality but he couldnât help starting to feel a strange attraction. He smiled at her but quickly dropping his smile into a forced scowl.
âSo what do you do in this shit hole?â She laughed.
âItâs not a âshit holeâ itâs the best option for survival.â
âHow do you work that out you have a weak wall, ripped carpets and you donât even have any access to any of the amenities, whereâs your water supply?â
âGot enough in the bath I filled it up with water when I got hereâ
âWhy not go for the big water supplies?â she said.
âCos every body thinks that, it will be guarded and itâll be suicide to attempt it.â
âYeah but wouldnât you rather attempt it die trying.â
âNow look here Iâve survived this long by doing the opposite to the obvious.â
âBy doing nothing?â She angrily shouted.
âBy surviving and if itâs best to do nothing then Iâll survive.â
âSounds demented to me.â She said.
âHow have you survived this long then?â He reacted angrily.
âBy just the doing the obvious and not giving into fear if I want water I just walk up to the pumps and take it, I figure if I get killed I get killed and youâll be surprised that by walking through a group of people heavily armed how many actually shoot.â
âYeah but at some point your luck will run out and eventually youâll get killed.â He replied.
âYeah and at some point youâll crack with boredom by calculating each move and youâll blow your own brains out eventually. Iâve seen people like you; the clever most tactical minded individuals who try to weigh things up so the odds are heavily in their favour get caught out by the pure chaotic actions of randomness or get to the point where they prefer to have the choice of choosing their own death, the only thing theyâve got total control over.â
âWell what do you suggest we do?â
âWe make love.â She smiled.
âYou what? What type of idea is that?â
âAdmittedly youâre not the best looking bloke, but youâre a bloke nether the less and I guess from your excuse of your pointless existence you want some companionship too?â
âNow look here you senseless waste of space, I doubt you came here all the way here just to get your leg over, I donât even like you, now go out that door or Iâll force you to leave.â
âWhat you going to do kill me, go ahead grab the plank and whack that plank over my waste of space immoral life. The way I look I at Iâd rather choose the first option then the later.â
Even though this was against the reasoning for his own survival and maybe even against his own morality he did have desires even if this woman didnât have the qualities to show him any love or compassion. So the night was filled with Drake and this strange woman holding each other close. In a strange way it made Drake feel alive and maybe that was what the point she was trying to portray. Feeling alive rather then just being alive. He awoke in the morning and found the letter it read
âYou were better then I thought, I donât want you to look for me, know you, or for you to even care about me. You mean nothing to me, but if you ever see me again then you know Iâm yours for the moment.â
Drake had decided to himself that he would head to the monastery. The monastery had kept itâs meaning of refuse but he doubted that it was safe and faithful. It was mainly the only organised group of survival. It had a terrible hierarchy but like he thought institution was the only way. Mankind wasnât supposed to survive as one, the social creature they are or were. The door was guarded by two sentries, but if you were calm enough and abided by the rules of the self made leaders he would be able to get in.
He went through the intimidation of a full body search and a splashing down almost like prison. Ironically he would survive better in this monastery prison then with the disorganised separatists in the wild.
Drake was taken up the stairs to the main room. To his astonishment the strange woman was there with 5 people strapped to chairs.
Drake shouted.
âWhat are you doing?â
âI am judge and jury these men have been accused of stealing itâs my job to execute them to keep the peace.â
âYouâre even madder then when I first met you.â
She opened a small room where a group of people were eagerly shouting her name.
âThey worship me, Drake and you can be my king or a part of it.â
âWhatâs the matter with you people are you just deluded as this woman, whereâs your compassion?â
âJudas, Judas.â They shouted at him.
âSee I am a god in their eyes.â The woman shouted
âYou canât rule without compassion.â Drake shouted back
It was then Drake planned his action, apologising to the 5 men And God, he picked up the gun and fired a bullet in each mans head killing them all outright.
There was silence then the crowd shouted
âMurder, murder, murder, murder, murder.â
The shocked women looked at the crowd.
âWhat shall I do she asked the crowdâ
âBlow his brains out.â was the answer.
Drake got down on his knees ready for his execution.
âDo it now, DO IT NOWâ He shouted at her
âDO IT NOW, You worthless piece of shit.â
âDrake how can you do this, I told you not to find me, I love you I canât do it.â The woman replied
âDO IT DO ITâ shouted the crowd.
âI canâtâ She whispered to Drake
âI canât do it.â
Then suddenly it clicked to the woman what Drake was doing and why. He was setting an example for compassion.
The woman addressed the crowd.
âNo man or woman deserves an execution but justice needs to be done.â
âDrake you are found guilty of 5 executions how do you plead.â
âGuilty, Drake said.â
The crowd shouted their guilty verdict back at him and the blow his brains out chant.
It was then the woman whispered sorry in Drakes ear and thanked him for showing the importance of compassion.
âThe charge for murder is exile.â
The crowd looked momentary perplexed but shouted the womanâs name again and again.
âSorry you canât be my kingâ She whispered to Drake.
Drake was exiled from the monastery and as history told he survived to a good age where he had 3 children and the monastery over time became the new law and
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