Day 4.
Today’s prompt: Iain M. Banks the author, has just yesterday, announced that is he is terminally ill. His books often have lots of spaceships in them. And those spaceships have extremely odd, poetic names. The prompt is to use a spaceship’s name for the title of a poem. I have chosen “Unfortunate Conflict of Interest” ( yes that is the name of a space ship!) I have chosen this title because Death has a soft spot for earth and the human’s who live on it. Difficult, yes it is because he is supposed to be destroying them. He also loves coffee!
Slowly and silently making their way along the street four horsemen approached. We had no knowledge but centuries since, this was the place they had assigned to meet.
As this strange apparition it’s progress did make, it left fights and hunger and deathly illness in it’s wake. Where once was the normal order of life was suddenly killing and gorging and sickness and death. Once happy people now full of strife.
Stopping their horses and dismounting as one they found a spare lamp post their magnificent animals to leash upon. One of their number scanned the street “No parking meters . ….Sweet!”
They entered the coffee shop and two fights broke out and terrible hunger and thirst spread about. Terrified customers died in the rush for the door and people started to sicken with rashes and pustules and what’s more, there was blood and guts all over the floor.
Death motioned the others to get a table then approached the strangely thin, sick looking lad at the bar and ordered four Americanos and a bagel! The boy felt so weak and fear gripped his throat as he looked in to the eyes of Death the rest of his staff were in the same boat lost and helpless’ bereft of hope!
Setting down the tray and handing Famine his food , “I wanted expresso “griped War in a mood. Death raised his scythe and told him to mind his place. For he had the last word and was in charge of this space!
Finally with the local humans all dead, they sipped quietly on their coffee, just for now doing what their leader had said.
After a short while Conquest / Pestilence looked up asked “is this coffee fair trade” as he finished his cup. Famine smirked at the joke his brother had made. “I need another , where is the barista “ Death answered ” He died”…… “Okay”Famine sighed
Coffee over, decisions needed to be made how to deal with this world’s problems. Plans had to be laid. “I think I should simply traverse this world and make them their missiles unfurl,” said War before adding “then with you Death in my wake, how long would total annihilation take?”
“No “chipped in Pestilence I can spread my cloak and make them all suffer. You can then step in Death, as they cough and choke.” War banged the table ready to fight but Death then stepped in knowing his way was right .
“Looking around brothers do you not agree they are doing an excellent job of destroying themselves without any help from you or me.” He saw they were not happy with his intervention so he enlightened them all with his ghastly intentions . “We need to just hover on the sidelines and leave them to fester. It will all end soon, this planet cannot sustain forever these hopeless jesters!
They thought for a while while Death entertained them, he fiddle like Nero back when Rome was burning. but not such a giggle.
The decision was made and they all agreed they would just make thing worse for all those in need , they would feed the wars and starve the medical fractions, of knowledge and money. They would disease the corn, the milk and the honey. Death would stalk the world in his usual way clearing up the mess and dead at the end of the day.
They then left the scene of their destroying powers and rode off together into the west leaving death and destruction and lots of wilting flowers .
The News papers and TV got the story the very same day. Police want to question four hoodies on horse back they say.
There was a witness a child who manage to hide and lived to tell what they had seen. Apparently strange horses , one white,one red , one black and one pale green?
The headlines over, well maybe one more then it is back to Famine in Africa and a new Plague from the States and now they started yet another War! The Greenies are screaming we must save Mother Earth unknowing that she already dancing a dirge with a worn out and tired Death.
Death sat in a corner and polished his scythe and pondered the meeting, well he had at least tried to buy these humans ( for whom he actually cared) some time . But even holding off his brothers, of hope there still was no sign.
He was tired of all the work he had to do, exhausted in fact, and his brothers were too. The task set before them was too great for them to solve .. Hopefully God will intervene and those irritating humans will evolve !
Tired old Death
willowdot21 