“Have you ever seen someone die? Have you ever killed someone?  I was taught to face my fears, to not run away from what I'm scared of. But what do you do when you're scared of death, then what? Do you die? This is a story of how I fulfilled my prophecy,This is how it all began.” - find new quote, moved to bottom 

A woman of unfortunate circumstances resided in a run-down cabin nestled on the outskirts of her village. From an early age, her family fell victim to the malicious gossip of the villagers, branding them as witches and outcasts of the community. The rumors took a heavy toll on her frail mother, who succumbed to illness shortly after the accusations began. Her father was wrongfully accused and sentenced to death, leaving her all alone in the world. Grief-stricken and blinded by a desire for revenge, she devoted herself to the art of witchcraft and invoked a deadly curse upon the villagers.. 

“A fatal death will meet your tomb, I curse the shadows for your gloom, the rise of sun shall bring you pain, to the fall of night creates the wrath of bane.”

Suddenly, the sky was engulfed in dark clouds, filling the sky as far as the eye could see. An eerie, faceless deity spoke through an echo, its words dripping with malice and madness.

"Evil comes with goodness in this world. Treat each child equally, for only then shall you be rewarded: The shadow has a voice of many, its words are an echo that could drive anyone to insanity.” 

The trees in the woods stood in their peaceful state. Their serenity was interrupted by the loud cries of the helpless babies. The woman heard those cries and was instantly alarmed.

She ran quickly to find the source of those cries and came upon two innocent infants left alone. Without flinching, she took the babies in her arms and carried them back home. Once they had gotten home, she gently laid them in their beds, ready to rest. The quote kept haunting her, a constant reminder of the atrocity.

The woman pondered the concept of good and evil, trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing.

"One is good and the other's evil?" she whispered to herself.

The babies stirred slightly in their sleep but remained calm under her touch. The woman's heart was filled with doubt and concern, she knew what she must do but was unsure of how it would play out.

After some time, they settled into a peaceful slumber. She gently pats their heads, a bittersweetness settling in her heart.

. 

Over the years, the woman has watched the children closely, her attention constantly shifted between the two. She has observed the behavioral differences between them, how one of the kids is more difficult than the other, while the second one tries to be good.

It has been a long time since the woman originally spoke to the deity at the cliff, a decision has been made. The woman has decided which child to sacrifice and which to keep. 

“Life is a complex mystery, where we often wonder about the profound meaning of our existence. Many believe that our inner nature is corrupt and selfish, leading to destructive tendencies. We seek power and status, wanting to be at the top. But our loved ones may only be seeing what they want to see. Our deepest secrets hide beneath the surface, tormenting us and driving us to lash out at those who care the most, causing irreparable damage. 

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It is undeniable that we have all experienced pain and struggle in our life. We share a deep connection with everyone on this planet, as we all have been victims of suffering. We are all connected by an underlying understanding of each other's pain and struggles, despite the differences in our backgrounds and experiences... 

 I was taught to face my fears, to not run away when I'm scared . But what do you do when you're scared of death, then what? Do you die?”

In a city overrun with crime, trash is scattered all over the street, a testament to the decline of the city's civic pride. The underbelly of the city is steeped in corruption and poverty, creating a bleak background for the struggling citizens.

On Olive Street, at the upper level of an apartment complex, a family lives. The parents sit around watching television, smoking cigarettes and ignoring the chaos outside their windows. The children play on the floor arguing.

"That's mine!" The preteen girl barked, angrily demanding the blue marker back from her brother.

"You weren't using it, so I can have it first!" The boy argued, stubbornly refusing to give up the marker.

"MOOOOOOOOOOM! Axel is being mean to me!!" The girl cried out, whining and complaining to her mother.

"I'm not being mean! I'm just using the blue marker!" Axel protested, but their mother had already snapped her head around, yelling at both children to stop arguing. Axel tried to protest, arguing that his sister was trying to get him in trouble, but their mother wasn't having any of it.

"You better shut the fuck up or I'll beat you straight!" The mom snapped, as she opened her 5th beer. His sister shaped her hand to an L and placed it on her forehead, sticking out her tongue at him.  

He sighed as he gave up the fight knowing he would never win. He decides to go to his room and starts playing games on the computer.After a while he gets a text from a friend to meet him at the park.

 Alex creeps down the stairs to see if his parents are still awake. He finds the TV still on with the volume turned down. His dad was snoring in his recliner sitting in his boxers. Gut was hanging out of his stain filled. Axel's mom was nowhere to be found.

After checking if the cost was clear he snuck back in his room and threw the emergency escape ladder down so he could meet his friends. 

Axles pedaled his bike down the road, the wind picking up pace as he grew closer and closer to the dense clouds that had gathered in the middle of the road. He hurriedly ducked behind a tall tree as he peered out from behind its branches, curious to see what the ominous clouds held within..

 He sighted two boys nearby, both appeared to be teenagers. One had pale skin and black shaggy hair, and he was clad like a warrior with chest armor, sword and shield. He kept the surroundings under close observation, giving a calm and composed impression.

The second boy had shorter hair. He was heavily armed, carrying multiple weapons spread around his body. Instead of keeping calm, he was ranting and frustrated. 

“Where is he?! It should have lead us right to him” the tempered boy shouted 

The boy who stayed calm spoke in ASL

[He has to be close, we'll find him]

“We better find him soon. I just want this over with.”

Axel's heart rate spiked as he witnessed the interaction between the two boys. He took a step back. The crack caused by his foot stepping on the tree branch was audible to the boys, who dashed at the source of the sound.

Filled with dread, he dashed away towards the park, certain his friends would be there. He poured every ounce of his strength into his escape, but the boys were gaining ground with alarming speed.

“We found him!” the loud boy says as they chance him down 

Axel's hands trembled as his adrenaline skyrocketed, and his pulse thumped in his neck. He pushed himself to run faster, his legs straining with every step. The boys were closing the gap, their footsteps echoing behind him.

Terrifying thoughts raced through Axel's mind as he frantically sprinted towards the park. He was already running on empty, and he knew he couldn't outrun them forever.

Just as the boys were about to catch up with him, he caught a glimpse of his friends hanging around the car.

Axel's friend's face darkened in concern after they were safe, he asked him about the boys. Axel trembled in fear, with his halearr in his hand.

"T-They came f-from a p-portal," he stammers, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He stutters. 

His friend's eyes widened as he realized what Axel was describing. "Guys, are you serious?" The friend asked, his tone of voice shifting from concern to alarm.