He Knows How This Ends

Welcome to the finale of Flash August Fiction. This is actually observational prose, but I make the rules around here. Thanks for reading, listening, sharing, liking, and sharing. 31 brand-new stories and podcasts in 31 days. Later today there will be a live reading in my Discord Channel. In the next few days I’ll be recording new intros and send-offs, uploading live reads from my Sunday Discord Storytime, and re-reads of older stories. There will also be new stories. He knows how this ends. He feigns confidence, and accentuates his noble and formidable appearance. He makes his case well, and he does have support, but the best he can do now is take pot-shots at the most vulnerable, and influence the most susceptible and gullible audiences. He no longer hides his crimes. Rather, he lauds them with pride. He promotes lawlessness as morality. The hypnotism of the weak, exposes the strong. The blindness of the silent, exposes the sight of the unpretentious. The cynical seek safety. They feign neutrality. They are predictable, as they cower, and let others do battle. They’ll signal with false virtue for a sense of security. They’ve never known safety, only extortion. This is his base. The shallow, transactional harvest is rewarded with a forged comfort. What is in the heart after irrevocable decisions? Of course there is a sympathy for that victimhood and self-pity. If there is a word for the intersection of regretful and pathetic, but defiant, then that might be that form of sympathy. Continuing into the void after the point of no return may warrant that intersection. He harms the beloved to affront his vanquisher. Punishing vulnerable, the small, the weak in mind, the easily deceived. Openly defiling the young. Normalizing deceit. He has a flickering moment with his likewise and deluded army. But he knows how this ends. The End228 Words This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit commercialherschel.substack.com/subscribe