Til the End of Time

“We’re running out of time”, said Deadman.  With disgust, he looked upwards.  

“Ah!  This is YOUR doing, now isn’t it? Haven’t you any other toys to play with?  Or am no more to you than a subservient; a slave to work between you to your experiment?  All the while, the one they call “He” searches aimlessly for playmates?!  I swear.. with the hate bestowed upon my dead rotting flesh, I...Eh... (cough, cough)!”

Before Deadman could really lay into the Big man upstairs, his shadow cut him off.

“Easy there, Deadman!  What good do you think will come from you cursing the holy one?

Come on..even I can tell you there is no sense in smite.”

“Unbelievable.. leave it to the Shadow to shed some light on my shortcomings!”

“I meant no..”, Shadow began to explain himself, but was interrupted.

“You meant no HARM?! You couldn’t inflict more than a light switch!  Don’t begin to tell me things; when I know far more than you, my friend.”

And they both walked in silence for a moment.

Deadman must have felt his vitality dissipating through his extremities.  His once warring resistance had reached its expectancy.  Deadman’s muscle clung to his bones like a slab of pulled pork being brought to a boil.  He certainly was running out of time.

Deadman tore through the neatly cut streets.  The townspeople ran in every direction to avoid the towering damnation they feared with repulsion.  It didn’t take long before the occupied parks and waitlisted bistros and busy department stores began disseminating by the crowds.  And as they saw the madness feeding a fire over this heathen’s fury, he smelled the fear and became aroused by the people’s numbers to so readily pacify themselves to the whim of his stature.  

“Do you smell that, Shadow?  That’s pure fear.”

Consequently, the law was tipped in and they began to surround him with caution.  And as the Deadman continued towards the community he so rightfully despised, the people parted ways like the Red Sea. 

The police began assembling a line of defense that blocked Deadman’s pathway toward what he was running out of time to catch.  

It was the sunset.. deadman considered that...

If he could run by the light of day, and make his way down the horizon.. maybe he could finally reach the end of the line. And for Deadman, nothingness was far more palatable than the hell that leered around each corner.  It was only a matter of time.

Shadow began to warn Deadman.

“Let’s be realistic.  This is not the only way out towards the horizon.  You can reach the end of the line by any direction you please!  Now, I understand why you’re anxious to head out towards the sunset.  But let me tell you...The  dogs are sniffing out your soul by your coattail.   So.. the only way to be clever enough to fool the undead is to make your soul evolve.”

“I’m not following.. you want me to completely change.. not just my thoughts, memories, appearance.. but soul?  How could a soul evolve?”

“Since you are easy to recognize, I assume that your soul is undeniably distinguishable, as well.  So, you’ll have to change everything.  You’ll have to truly believe you are a different person.  You’ll have to trick yourself into a new identity.  I’m not quite sure if that means I might be reassigned, too.”

While deep in contemplation, neither Deadman nor Shadow had remembered the fleet of defenses engaged and ready for battle.  It wasn’t until the police intercom spoke out to them..

“...once again, this is your LAST warning before we release open fire!  You have until the count of 3 to put your hands up!  One.. two... th-“

“Put our hands up!”

Their hands raised as they froze in bewilderment.

The loudspeaker continued..

“Now, I want to you to slowly raise your hands behind your head.. at the same time, slowly turn around and get on your knees.”

“Are you kidding me? I’m getting too old for this shit!“ deadman snapped at the request.

“C’mon, Deadman!  If they shoot you, the Reaper will be notified and there’ll be no telling where you’ll be next... or if you’ll even be given a shadow!”

Deadman was scanning the grounds for anything to strike down or spark an idea before he bent his knees.

Then, he stared at his Shadow. His was far larger than everyone else’s. He looked up at the police that surrounded him and gazed at the sheer terror in their eyes. Yet, something changed his perspective. He no longer grew aroused by the fear, but for reason unbeknownst to him, he felt sorry.

In flashes of light, he stilled time and gazed upon the terrified man’s life. He was anything like Deadman.

The cop Deadman had noticed was not new to the force. However, this was by far the most eventful day; since his employment began. The cop was nervously awaiting the execution. He was not looking forward to shooting down anyone.. nor did he understand why they were surrounding this monster. He hadn’t done anything to deserve this treatment.

He thought to himself, “what’s just in this?”

Then, the cop thought of his family.. his daughter, his wife.. their two dogs and his sick mother; who could no longer be well cared for at home. He was overwhelmed by the irony, all the same.

Deadman saw this.

For one of the first times, Deadman looked at the ground.. with a satisfaction; that only appears when a person has fulfilled their contract in life.

His soul was in fact, evolving.

“Shadow.. you’ve been a good friend to me.  I wish you well...”

“No, Deadman! Don’t do it!  We can make it to the horizon’s end!”

The police loudspeaker broke out once more, 

“Get down to the ground!”

“We’re here, my friend.” Deadman replied...

“Until next time.”

Gunfire’s rained down and the world was lost in shadows....

We all pay dues 

When I heard that horn blow

I knew 

this interstate must be purgatory

I’m surviving  

Pick over lock got me everything I need

Iron gates pose no threat 

as a thief repents the key

(Nothing comes free)

But I don’t believe in god or right and wrong

It’s a game of circumstance 

With no advancement

(They’ve said I’ve got the devil in my head)

Weighed against every action 

Truck stops follow exit signs

find the rest lost to the few

(Most have no idea what they’re missing)

The townspeople never knew my name

I follow suit and remain a stranger on the mainline 

Try and catch me to cage me

They need a canary to sing in the coal mine 

Nevermind small acts of kindness

There’s no saints among us 

Just a leering exodus to the next reply

I, alone 

drive the resignation down with a closed fist

Shift the gear 

Well now you can tell me you know how I feel

Flashes of white light were nothing more than 

Traffic racing by a dead man staring in the rearview...