The Harder The World, The Fiercer The

The Future Can Ever Promise But One Thing And One Thing Only: Surprises.

Ben Adaephon Delat," Pearl Said Plaintively, "see The Last Who Comes. You Send Me To My Death." "i Know," Quick Ben Whispered. "flee, Then. I Will Hold Them Enough To Ensure Your Escape No More." Quick Ben Sank Down Past The Roof. Before He Passed From Sight Pearl Spoke Again. "ben Adaephon Delat, Do You Pity Me?" "yes" He Replied Softly, Then Pivoted And Dropped Down Into Darkness.

I Love You Still, But With Your Death I Succumbed To A Kind Of Infatuation. I Convinced Myself That What You And I Had, So Very Briefly, Was Of Far Vaster And Deeper Import Than It Truly Was. Of All The Weapons We Chose To Turn Upon Ourselves, Guilt Is The Sharpest, Silverfox. It Can Carve One's Own Past Into Unrecognizable Shapes, False Memories Leading To Beliefs That Sow All Kinds Of Obsessions.

Power Is Violence, Its Promise, Its Deed. Power Cares Nothing For Reason, Nothing For Justice, Nothing For Compassion. It Is, In Fact, The Singular Abnegation Of These Things - Once The Cloak Of Deceits Is Stripped Away, This One Truth Is Revealed.

Children Were Meant To Be Gifts. The Physical Manifestation Of Love Between A Man And A Woman. And For That Love All Manner Of Sacrifice Could Be Borne.