I Shall Fear No Evil by Ciara Oglevee (read me a book .TXT) 📕

"And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder. One of the four beasts saying, 'Come and see', and I saw, and behold a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death, and hell followed with him."
-Johnny Cash, 'When The Man Comes Around"

I watched in silent horror as the skies above turned black in the forthcoming events. He himself, the righteous spirit, knew what was imminent, and he covered his view with a thick shield, casting dark shadows of unknown upon his vast land. My body, the fresh shelter to creatures below, no longer held me back. But consequences follow unwilling sacrifices, and as those who I gave my last breath to withered away, I was helpless. I had no voice, no cry, no forewarning to give to them.
I saw an innocent creature bound forward in a vast field, its soft curls hugging its frail body, and it opened a circle of dirt, the holder of destruction. A horse of snow appeared, its cloaked rider grasping a handsome bow. The pure creature of God handed him a wealthy crown, and I heard a voice say to him 'Go!', and they galloped off. Together the world was conquered, its inhabitants surrendering at the tip of the rider's sharpened arrow.
The lamb again opened the earth, and I saw a beast of fire rise from within. Its eyes were coals, its rider aglow from the vibrance of the beast. He was handed a gleaming sword, the reflection of terror glinting from the metal. The rider took it with arrogance, and he left, creating separation between the world, hatred filling the minds of its beings. They all drew their weapons upon their neighbors, rage boiling through their bodies. The fiery horse returned as the two horsemen watched the oceans turn thick with crimson death. I saw the children of God mutilate each other, and I stared as I could do nothing. Silvery light lifted from the fallen beings, rising toward the black sky, penetrating His shield. If they could be in His loving arms, safe from the misery this planet was suffering, why couldn't I? Was I meant to watch this, this disgusting apocalypse? What had I done to betray Him, to be shunned from His love?
My site ventured away from the silvery lights and back to the white creature, who was once again opening the gaping hole, and a third horse appeared, black as the sky, dark as the shadows. The lamb placed a set of gleaming scales in the rider's hand, which were mere twigs plucked from the tree of life. I could see the hunger in the horse's dark eyes, see where the velvet gripped his bones, no meat in between. And I understood, as they circled the earth, the fruits of this once abundant land shriveling into ash that scattered into the harsh wind. The people quickly grew ravenous, their mouths greedy as they devoured inedible items. Bloodcurdling screams raged through the night as men masticated their children. Mothers ripped the legs off their kin and sank their teeth into them, their stomachs’ monsters that clawed their insides to shreds. It was a revolting site to witness; babies feasted upon their own flesh, animals charged at each other, every being trying to end their unquenchable hunger. The shadowed horseman returned, laughing, the sound of imminent annihilation. Peace and happiness was now just a myth, forgotten in the midst of horror. There was no light, no glimmer of hope to save these once unified people.
And once more the earth was opened, and fear seemed to shake through my soul. The ground began to rumble; the world was falling apart. I saw an almost transparent beast rise from within, the cloaked rider upon it an appalling corpse. It was Death himself. He rode proudly out of the underworld, his black cloak flowing behind him in an invisible breeze, and I was never more frightened in all of my existence. The innocent lamb gave him no tools, no weapons to aid him on his cataclysmic journey. But as he ventured off on his pale horse, I knew Death's plan. For behind him was Hell, following close behind, a devil child tagging behind its satanic mother. Oh how the land seemed to cry a desperate song of woe, the dirt trembling with the pain. Where was God's mercy? How could he block a scene such as this from his all-knowing eyes? The trees howled for His grace, the crimson tides splashed forcefully against the rocks in a futile attempt for His recognition.
The fifth seal was broken, visions of martyrs filling the sites of the horrified men who had convicted them. And as the sixth seal was broken, the lands shook with terror, cracking and splitting; it could no longer bear the burden Death had placed upon it.
And in the midst of the plea's and the cries and the shrieks, there sounded trumpets. The last seal was shattered. The instruments grew louder announcing what I somehow already knew. Death returned with his pale horse and took a stand next to the other three, the four horsemen of the apocalypse stared out at the chaos and all were satisfied by their work. The sounds of horrific end became faint, until all that was heard were the angels. The lamb suddenly evaporated, called back to his home by the herder, his master, his god.
And I stood there beside these men and their beasts, and together we watched. I surveyed what was once a rich land, thriving with the life He had created. The pitiable tune of the angels washed over the world, the only sounds on this decaying planet. There was no rhythmic beat of a heart, no soft hum of lungs being filled and emptied. All that was left were carcasses, drenched by their misery, covered in a haze of unexpected and untimely doom. Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers lay; some torn, others drowned. There was no green beneath their lifeless figures, only sodden clumps of dirt and cracks where the earth had split with anger. The trumpets continued as stillness overcame the world. The waves stopped crashing, the wind stopped blowing, the air became nonexistent. Nothing was left; Hell had finished it all, the world had finally ceased.
And like workers returning home after a hard day's work the horsemen vanished underground, and the trumpets dissolved. The overwhelming silence pressed upon my ears as I waited alone for the black clouds to disperse, for He himself to welcome me home lovingly. But the sky did not reveal Him, and I realized they never would. He would never come for me, never extend a hand to me. I had fallen long ago, and He would never forgive me. For it was I who had summoned the four horsemen of the apocalypse and broken the seals. I had destroyed the life He had created; my job here was finished. I began to admire my work as my memories flooded my soul. How could I have forgotten such a grand scheme? I took one last look before opening the hole in the desecrated ground for the last time. I vanished to my home, where Hell resided, where I ruled those who had fallen from God. I was Lucifer, and I had destroyed the earth He had created for his children. Never again would they roam this planet, shunning me with their love for Him. I had won, I was finally in control.

Publication Date: 05-18-2011

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