Hello, all! Today I share with you a piece of flash fiction I wrote for a Creative Writing class almost a decade ago! (How time flies!) Take a read through and in our next post, I will detail what I would do differently as a writer with more experience.
It’s normal for old writings to make you cringe! But rereading them after honing your skill as a writer is a great exercise. Leave your thoughts below!
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” –Genesis 6:5
I remember sitting in the library, years ago, analyzing this passage. At the time, I was naïve. I thought this line seemed an extremity in comparison to the world. Now, I realize the grim truth.
Father desires me to make this choice on my own. He put me in this quiet, empty room so I may think without distraction. I must hit the button to finalize my decision, and then I am permitted to leave. I want to please Father with my decision, but until now I have merely been his pawn. Like a robot, I did as I was told. But now… How do I know which choice to make?
Either choice I make many innocents will lose their lives. I need to go about making this decision logically, taking into account the pros and cons of each scenario. The button is staring at me… I must think. Are there any political personnel in either place? No, that shouldn’t matter. The others, they’re still people… But do they hold any value in society? Of course, the world needs a working class, a lower class… but we’re all human. No. Do not include such morals or emotions in your decision… it’s illogical, it’s irrational, it’s weak. But these are people.
Living, breathing people. With families, jobs, activities that bring them joy, grief, emotions that bring about love and peace and conflict… and war. Why are people so weak, so selfish, so vengeful? Where would society be without Father’s direction, his brilliance? His image is unknown, but so are most gods. I must obey his wish. I must please Father with my decision.
But which decision? The button mocks me. If I direct the missile at the airship, I save our nation’s port and those working there. Though all those on the airship will lose their lives… but they lose their lives either way. Whether the missile hits it or the airship crashes into the port many will die. But by hitting the ship, I save our port.
However, if I direct the missile for the Apostate’s trading center, our nation will have an economic advantage over them. The Apostate nation will fall and peace will be restored to the world. Unfortunately, many more will be killed with this option… but what about justice? For the greater good we would weaken them. We may lose one port, but they lose their main trading center, their economic megalopolis. They would but scratch us with their attack as we rip apart their limbs with our defense.
What’s worth more? Justice or saving innocents? That port is home to hundreds of thousands of our nation’s working class. Do we save them from the destruction? Or would attacking the Apostates bring their defeat. I can choose either one or the other. What would Father do?
The button looks at me with its wicked sneer. It taunts me, but I don’t want to press it. I don’t want to make this decision on my own. I need more time… I need more time. But there is no time. If I don’t make my decision soon there will be no time to stop the airship from crashing into our port… but if I only have one option, my choice is made. Unless it’s not the choice I wanted. But it’s not about what I want. What does Father wish from me?
This empty room is much too loud. The button, the key to my release, I can’t stand to look at. Do I target the airship or the Apostate trading center? One or the other. But which one. Father would not want me to torture myself with this dilemma. He is giving me the power to make this decision. Father trusts me. I must not fail him.
I thought about the factors, the outcomes. I’ve determined what’s to be gained… and what’s to be lost. The choice is mine. And I have made up my mind. The wickedness of the human race is not in me. My heart has no evil intentions, only good. I know why Father did not want to make this decision himself. He did not want to hit the button. He has forced me to choose.
After I select my target, I hit the button and the door opens. My heart, my good heart is trying to escape my chest, for I now feel an evil trying to attack it. I turn to walk out of the room. Fortunately there are no mirrors around, for I do not want to know how I look. I hope Father is watching. I hope he is pleased. As I exit the room, I can hear the button laughing at me, maliciously.
I cannot show my face to anyone as I return home. I feel the wickedness revealing itself. Making that choice, hitting that button, has only one outcome. An outcome only God will see. Father could not make that choice, or know which choice I was to make. Father is weak. Father is selfish. Father is vengeful. The good in me turns to wickedness as I continue to serve him. I feel it tearing my insides apart.
The world is wicked.
Time for the flood.
