Short Story

Removing his sandals, he buried his toes in the warm sand as he watched the sunrise. The ocean
had always been his favorite place to be alone and just sit and think. But not today, no not today because even though he kenw this day would come, he dreaded it.



As a child he was happier than most he supposed. His mother in particular encouraged him to be true to himself and follow his own heart in all things. Perhaps it was in his early teens he began to feel the lonliness of being different from everyone he knew.
The gentle ocean breeze in his hair felt so good. Watching the sea gulls in their flight of freedom made him smile.

How often had he wondered what it would have been like if he had made different choices in his life. He did have choices but it never really felt like it at those times in his life when he made those critical choices. In fact, sometimes he felt like a doomed prisoner with no hope of escape from his everyday life.
This is why he had chosen so often to go off alone for days to contemplate what he knew in his heart he must do.

Remembering this now made his heart ache. Life was so short, and the choices so few, and the momories of it all so sad. Heartbreakingly sad. He tried to remember the joy. Where was the joy? He couldnt remember any joy and this made him feel so cheated about it all.

He sobbed with everything in him, with every fiber of his soul. Yes in the end he had chosen it, he had chosen it all. Now he could only cry until he thought his head would explode. But it was time to do this thing. If only they had listened perhaps it could have been such a different plan and today wouldnt have to happen.

Now his sobbing was for the children. The children he would kill today. He knew them all. He had watched them be born and now he would watch them die. For the children, he would make it quick. They wouldn't suffer, he would make sure of that. His father promised him this all that long time ago.


Reaching into his pocket, he took out the ancient parchment. Screaming "WHY?" into the wind, he broke the sixth seal.

Interesting story, that stirs much emotion.

You did a fine job, of portraying the sadness and guilt he felt..


it doesn't really explain why he felt compelled to make the choices he did, but that is intriguing in itself.