The silent man sits, heart in hand, and watches the stars
As they fade from sight forever to sleep with the angels.
By his side, the nightmare girl poses the eternal question:
Are we scared? What happens next?

Shadows sprint across the crimson sky
Chasing and clutching at the last Hope.
Sickly clouds announce the fall of man
Amid the chorus of soft-winged angels
Calling the worthy souls home.
The earth splits and spits cleansing fire,
Devouring the everlasting monoliths
And the first of the unlucky.
Locusts take to wing in a rattling cloud,
Consuming the Garden, apples and all,
Leaving the Box bare and empty.

The fallen man weeps, clutching his Savior to his pallid chest,
Shivering as the sweat burns into the cross at his neck.
The man-unknown breathes one last time, a bitter finale,
Comforted by a job well done and an angel’s voice.

They cry out blindly, No One’s there,
Patient, waiting for veil to be lifted,
Licking his lips with a serpent’s tongue,
And wiping the fire from his eyes.
A single soul breaks, it’s heard around the world.
The very essence of humanity mourns it.
The Beast stirs, emerges from its den,
Lifts its muzzle and screams for joy
Demands it, craves and thirsts for it.
Its minions sweep forth, obedient,
Gleeful, Malicious, Greedy, Bitter.

The last Angel curses her Father, shredding her wings in grief.
The first Scholar hides in his books and hopes they’re enough.
The last Prophet sighs, drops his spike, and closes his eyes.
He’s done enough. Perhaps, he’s done too much.

The Forsaken rise and begin their march
To Nowhere to meet their king and queen
Of the damned, the broken, the lost souls.
Safe behind walls of sorrow and ash, they wait,
Planning their brave new world.
The Fates shiver. The lonely look up
Toss one last prayer up like a daisy chain,
And watch as the petals rain down.
The smell of shattered souls burns
Filling the air with the stench of Love
And Peace, and sweet Understanding.

There is no redemption in following fiery footprints that lead to Nowhere.
There is no redemption in the voices telling us to be scared.
There is no redemption in crimson skies, and if
There is no redemption in the heavenly body,
Will it be found in the flesh of man?