Lie to Oneself

An instant.

A moment in time where things appear to happen with no room for intervention between beginning and end.

An instant is all it takes for one to think. To love.

To die.

'It isn't as though you could save her.'
I couldn't, could I?

'Heh... b'sides, damned hellspawn need to be wiped out, once and for all!'

The cheers of those who know nothing beyond the words of their ringleader. It echos through the mountain, like ghastly taunting from the universe.

The outer shell is calm, composed, but caving internally.

'I mean, who teh hell do'ye think you are anyway?! Some feckin' beast luver or sumthin?'

Warmth. A trickle of blood creeps across the ground, coating hopeless fingertips.

Her blood... her hopes, her fears, thoughts and tears, dripping out one by one.

"Three..."
The wind shifts, breezing gently to the east.

'Weh? C'mon, speak up you daft'
The shell shifts, rising from a puddle of stolen love.

"Two."
Rain patters down from the sky.
The wind shifts to the west.

'Just put the bastard down, it'll shut em up at least.'
Warm iron barrels level at his chest. Six fingers squeeze six triggers.

An instant passes. Then two. A third...

"... But one never arrived."
Hammers hover inches from their primers, like dogs held by their leashes.

"You're still here. You'll always be here. Just look at you!"
Empty air, stuck in the limbo of dancing and shifting through the sky.

"It'll be alright... we'll go home, have some dinner, and see about getting that scratch patched up in the morning. How's that sound?"

... A fourth instant passed.

Six lives were snuffed out. One beyond repair. One choking on tainted sorrow.

"They won't be hurting us anymore. Nobody will hurt us anymore."
Tears ran freely, laughter and something more bubbled from his chest.

... And the world slipped away into nothingness.