A strange figure from a faraway land, wearing a Jade mask and a deep, dark, black cloak made of Kashmir and silk, sat upon a lichen-encrusted boulder, peering down at a weary and thirsty refugee. The strange figure lit a pipe of wood and brass, took a few puffs and gestured to the immigrant to speak. The immigrant scantily clad, as thin as bone, sun fried and destitute spoke from peeling crackled lips with a desiccated tongue , he loosed his words in a dusty pitch and said, “It feels as though it was just yesterday my home was mine and my life was secure, not a thought of the Earth, Sun , Stars and the Moon, not a thought in my mind to placate my needs beyond what I saw fit for myself and myself only, but now here I exist in a crumbled manner, lost and agonizing within my own form, what now can I say? Where now is the sun not my rival and nature not my enemy?”

The strange figure upon the boulder took a puff of his pipe and apathetically waved his hand once more, dismissing the refugee in one gesture of his hand. The refugee in a fit of his last bit of energy raised his fist up to the strange figure upon the boulder and shouted from withered lungs, “Why do you cast me aside, why am I not worthy of your counsel, you are the one hope I have seen since I set off to find a better place, the one last vestige of mine, to once again return to my former life”.

The strange figure atop the boulder sat peering at the man from behind it’s jade mask and finally spoke, calmly and apathetically…”Why doth the human petition for my help now? Why does it seek consolation immediately after its own retribution? Why now is the remembering of the Earth, Sun, Stars and the Moon not a gift? Why does it seek to return to what sowed the ills that brought it here to my feet? Why does it run and hide from a sun that warms it and an Earth that feeds it? The Human, it cries to the heavens for reconciliation with nature, yet does not realize it is not nature that is the reaper of man, it is man itself that reaps upon its own nature. Oh, the Human, instead of staying amongst itself it shatters itself and the bits and pieces that make it whole, scatter and run to find a place where they can find comfort and luxury. Can the cup not carry water more effectively as a whole? Or does the human think that hoarding little droplets amongst itself is still the way to runneth the cup over? Nay, I say to this creature that was lost before it even realized, and only necessitated me when it needed me. I will remain a petty opposer to you, you foul lost spirit, I AM NOT YOUR ALLY, THEY CALL ME THE RISING SUN, I AM THE OPPOSITIONER, SUFFER, SUFFER, SUFFER, UNTIL YOU HAVE AWOKEN!…then and only then, will I bestow MY counsel unto YOU.”

The refugee, petrified and in fear tried to scream for mercy but his lungs were too dry to let loose a scream, so instead he choked upon himself until his world faded to black.

It was years later that a band of marauders looking for a place to rest happened upon that boulder. As they sat around it, one of the marauders noticed below on the side of the boulder, was etched an inscription in perfect writing that read, “Here lies humanity, it walked itself into the fire, and died with a whimper.”

Written by: Marcos Lopez 3/21/2020