The Gospel Of Despair

The Evangelist of Giving Up preached all day, every day.The midday sun was melting away the morning frost when I finally got around to see him. I could hear him before I even entered the tent.

"Despair is a luxury!" He was saying to an enraptured crowd. "Wrap yourself in it, hold it close, let it keep away the chill and the rain! Hope is the gap in your armor that lets through the slings and arrows of misfortune. The misery and torment of life cannot cause pain in what has become numb.

"Listen to this definition of perfection: That which cannot, by any means, be made better. Conversely, Perfection must also be that which cannot, by any means, be made worse. Therefore, to remain exactly as you are is to achieve perfection. 

"Meaning. Purpose. Belonging. Agency." He had spat the words. "These are false idols we seek out because we are told that's what people need to live life to the fullest. But what good are these things without a full belly, clothing, shelter, and entertainment? They will only make up unhappy, because they are unattainable. Think of all you don't have already! Why add to that list?

"The very first, the very oldest, and the very greatest emotion n human existence is fear. And the most powerful fear of all, is the fear of the unknown. So I ask you why? Why would you venture out into that great unknown? To find yourself? There is no need! You are right here, you've done just fine so far, what else could possibly be out there for you that you don't have now? Be satisfied with your lot, and think no more of that great unknown. Do we not light fires and sit around them, with our backs to the darkness? This is our nature; this is the way we have as always been. It's the way YOU'VE always been, and you know that works well enough. 

"There is nothing for us in the unknown, and you have no light to bring to the darkness. Sit down with us and rejoice in our perfection. Seize this moment, and only this moment, because the only thing that is certain is that the future is uncertain, and you could lose the little bit of freedom and comfort you've built up so far. There are no happy endings; only endings. Self-discovery is for indulgent fools. I know you, and you know you. We are tiny fish in a vast ocean of powerful currents, and we can let ourselves be swept along or die.

"There is nothing, NOTHING else to know!" He raised his arms and the crowd burst into applause. 

I passed the cheering rows of people as I walked right up to the stage. The Evangelist smiled at me in recognition. I raised my pistol and pointed it right at his grinning face. I fired, and he fell. The adoring crowd didn't cower, or run, or even take their eyes off his crumpled form. They didn't acknowledge what I had done at all.

They were right to do so. That fucker never stayed dead for long. I could have as little as an hour, maybe until tomorrow morning if I was lucky. But he'd be back soon enough.

But so would I. Until then, I had work to do.

THE END

Author's Note: Goodnight? Yes, goodnight!