Paridemos And Erebus

• Peter Blanch, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2016

“It’s over. It was rigged from the start. You never had hope to hold on to. For do you believe we actually hold our destinies? You wretched fool. All of our destinies are set. Some successes, others failures. For these things cannot be helped.”
He looked into my eyes dispassionately as he held my collar against the cold wall. I was struggling for breath. Is this really where it all ends?
“N-No. Our destinies are moulded by the choices we make. All factors of life we experience mould our destin-“
He drove a fist into my gut and a gush of life escaped from my body, I was rendered mute temporarily. He let go of my collar as I slumped to the ground, unable to reverse or interfere with the action to bow at his feet.
“You wretched fool.”
He kicked me in the face and I felt momentum taking me against my will. My body was starting to fail, my mind becoming quite limited as I met the cold ground.
“You faithfully believe in the power of good and evil? There is no such belief. For such thoughts, one may believe he is doing of good will but another will perceive his actions are of bad will. For is there no such definition of good and evil. Do you really believe such a naivety? You absolutely are pathetic Paridemos.”
“Am I?” I laughed like a gambler who couldn’t believe his luck. “It is you who definitely doesn’t understand.” I gasped to the ground. I was running out of time. “It is you who is blind, for good and evil do exist, for one cannot be defined unless the other is present.”
I felt a driving force half-obliterate my mind and body. I knew I couldn’t take much more.
“Why do you fight to live? Your destiny lies here, in the blackest of oblivion. From dust you came and dust you shall return.”
Erebus called forth all his darkness, forming it into his hand, preparing to decimate my body with pure energy. It truly was an intriguing sight to see. So this is hatred in its purest form?
“You truly think I’ll accept a fate like this?”
I called forth the light within my soul. It rushed to my aid. I didn’t deserve this energy I received, this, second chance to fight the world, the light greeted me like an old friend.
So this is what grace feels like…
“I’m not finished yet. It won’t end here Erebus. I’ve yet to begin my journey out of this God-forsaken abyss.”
Energy burst from within me. Life within itself. Now knowing I wasn’t just fighting for my life, but for the sake of all things good and those who believed in the hope of tomorrow. I stood up, renewed in light within all its glory.
So this is what love feels like…
“Today, Good shall stand, and fight...”