The Past lies

I looked across the crowd of thousands, the people who were waiting in bated breath to hear the verdict, waiting to know if they would not just survive, but live. I knew they wouldn’t. They were doomed, and I had to tell them that. I stepped up to the mic, and the room fell dead silent.

“The votes are in,” I say slowly, 90% of the people said yes, but the government didn’t care… they didn’t want this, I have to lie, or they’ll get rid of me too. “70% voted no… I’m sorry,” I whisper the last part quietly, backing away from the mic. There’s an uproar, people faint, cry, scream, beg, anything, anything but this. They were so close. I can see it in their eyes, they can’t even understand how this happened. And I had to stand up there and lie to them, because the government decided they didn’t want these people to be equal, decided that they were going to be the monsters of this story.

I look down at two young boys in the crowd, I wouldn’t say more than eighteen years old, they were holding each other, one leaning on the other’s shoulder, sobbing, their hands interlaced. This isn’t right, I know it isn’t, they don’t deserve this. This verdict has ruined their whole life, their futures and their still just kids, standing there holding each other. I wish I could reach for them, pull them into my arms show them it’s going to be okay. But I can’t, I can’t lie to these boys, these people. These kind, sweet, innocent people, who just had everything taken away from them, because of me. I can’t help it, I step back up to the mic.

“And that’s what the officials backstage told me to say,” the sounds echoing and the room quiet down again, I look off stage behind the curtain where a man stands with a loaded pistol, he raises it, aiming at my head, he looks at me with a question in his eyes. Are you really going to sacrifice everything to tell these people the truth? I nod at him, asking for time to say my piece. he doesn’t lower his weapon, but nods solemnly.

“They told me that if I told you the truth, they’ll kill me, so this will be my final speech. The vote was actually 90% to 10%.” I look around the room, the two boys from before, look up at me with surprised tear filled eyes, a girl holding her child a few rows behind them sobs into her baby’s neck, two old women sit together near the front, holding hands resting their heads together looking up at me with what can only be hope. Two men and their three kids watch on, one child on his father’s shoulders, the other two held close between their father. A group of university students stands to the side, clinging to each other. I group of four boys sits on the floor, holding hands, one kissing the other’s forehead in support.

They’re all watching me, waiting, silent, like they can barely fathom what I’m about to say.

“In your favour… the government made me lie, they don’t think you deserve to be happy, but I do, you deserve as many rights as everyone else, and I’m sad I won’t see the day where that becomes a reality, but just know, the people are fighting for you. Your leaders are the problem, the people suppose to protect you are the ones harming you.” the man behind the curtain raises his gun “You all have to keep fighting, you have to push through, you have to break free and get rid of this tyrannical government, because you deserve it you deserve it so much more than anyone else.”

I watch as the crowd finally understands what I’m saying. I watch their faces turn from hope to horror as the gun goes off, and I feel it hit. I watch as I fall silent, looking over the crowd of people, the parents covering their kids’ eyes, the university students looking away, the two boys unable to look away, the old couple crying.

These people are the future, I will not let them suffer because of the past. I want them to at least know the truth, to at least know the lies they are being told aren’t reality. I won’t be in the world to see that future, the future where these people will rise above and get the happy endings they all deserve, that they all deserve.

My vision turns back, I can hear people yelling, crying. I smile, I know it hurts them right now, I know my words will change things for them, I hope I can start the ripple of freedom throughout the world. These people at least deserve the chance to make the change.

Everything gets dark, the sounds fade, the pain finally settles in, and I smile as I disappear, leaving this world of corrupt governments and desperate people.

The light is bright, too bright, so I close my eyes for a second until they adjust. As I open them, I’m in a world of clouds, someone steps forward, they look ethereal.

“It’s not over for you yet. you deserve more for your sacrifice,” they say in an angelic voice. I feel myself start to fall, fast, clouds covering my vision. My head spins as I fall, I look down, and see nothing, my body is gone, I try to lift my hands, there’s nothing there. There’s a flash of light and a baby’s scream, a mother’s cry, I can feel myself fading, my memories, my life.

“I’ll name him Thomas,” A mother whispers, holding a newborn in her arms. The small thing had a circular birthmark on the side of its head, just above its ear, under its hairline, that doesn’t do much to cover it. His dad chuckles.

“You know they say, your birthmark is how you die in your last life,” he leans down brushing his hand over the birthmark, “you must have had quite the life, little guy.”