"Desperate (2023)"

I was working on a base coat of my next piece when my agent came by to pick up my more recent works.

She looked them over, reviewing the titles on my notepad.

"So I've noticed a theme with your current works."

I shrugged.

"I'm sure. I don't get everything out in just one piece, usually."

She picked up one of them, a painting showing several naked women.

"And what is this getting out?"

"Capitalism and its grind mentality strips us of all our humanity."

I know that offended her sensibilities, but better that than admitting I was just horny.

Post Society Selfishness

After the fall of the previous society, there was a period of adjustment where a lot of people died, I won't lie. And I'm not saying what we have now is better. It's different, certainly, and the obvious improvements are counter-balanced by the obvious disadvantages.

And sure, we all have to work much harder, for lives that are shorter, and tougher, and much more dangerous.

But the thing is, the relationships that have formed after the fall, they only exist because of it. My wife would never think of marrying me prior.

After all, I asked right before the fall.

Blank Check

I was under no delusions about whose life I saved that day. Even with my deliberate attempts to remain separate from the seedy parts of my neighbourhood, I knew who Eddie Caidends was. After I saved his life after the shooting, he tried to get me to name a price. I refused, and eventually he forced me to take a blank check, a literal one, to cash in a favor with him, almost anything.

Ever since, I've come close to destroying it.

But now, the life I shouldn't have saved will allow me to end a life that should end.

Supermax

Putting the Supermax prison on one of the larger asteroids in the Asteroid Belt made sense given how the intention was for the prisoners to operate the mining machines.

But every few cycles, there would be a riot and uprising, the prisoners taking over the prison, forcing the home planet to send a few battlecrafts and wiped the prison clear, and start all over again.

At least, that was the story. When I arrived after another supposed uprising, I found a prison operating just fine.

Turns out they want to execute prisoners but maintain a certain level of plausible deniability.

Controlling The Board

I thought I had the city perfectly balanced. The Thieves Association and the Assassin's League hated each other and thus kept each other in check. Every cult, sorry, Religious Organisation may have worked with another one but hated at least two others.

The Merchants hated the Craftmakers, the four Magic Covens all opposed the others, and everyone hated the Beggars.

Plus, I had the ultimate backup plan, in case things went bad. And when one of the Covens unearthed the Necrography, I summoned the Dragon.

I was not expecting them all to win and learn to work harmoniously together, dammit.

Wonder Why

I recall the day I learned how the world truly worked.

It was back in high school, in music class, each student had to pick a song and give a talk on it. Not particularly caring about music to the degree of studying it, I picked a goofy one hit wonder I liked and knew a couple of basic trivia points about, and have a speech that was comedic, ripping off on a ad campaign going on for a completely unrelated product.

In a sea of well-researched, factually correct, but slightly boring speeches, I got top marks.

Says everything, yeah?

Thump

Thump.

I could feel my heart beating in my chest.

Thump.

Every pump of blood was like a jolt of electricity through my body.

Thump.

It reminded me that, despite my earlier thoughts on the subject, I was alive.

Thump.

And every beat reminded me that if I was alive, I had something I had to do.

Thump.

I slowly, painfully, got back to my feet.

Thump.

I picked up the half melted mace, and began to head towards the man trying to destroy us all.

Thump.

Then three more in rapid succession.

His heart stopped thumping.

So did mine.