Even Superheroes have children and on this morning Vikid was taking them to school. The city had an magnificent orange glow, roads were calm and smooth. Leaves on trees rustled in a gentle breeze.
The kids were playing in the car and there was a general sense of joy.
Vikid thought it had been a very long time since he felt that kind of joy. Probably since he sat with the Amazonian shamans a long time ago but even then, not with the genuine joy of childhood.
Vikid thought that the modern world was suffering from the cult of happiness, when there and then, as some birds were gliding past the car, everyone disappeared. Three thin and wispy forms of smiling skulls appeared before him and said,
“We are the Ghosts of Happiness. We noticed that you’ve been a miserable dimwit and would like to offer you some advice.”
“You have grown fat and despondent with the world. You have no ambition, you do not work, you eat crap all day, too much coffee and smoke!”
“This is disgusting and you will deteriorate quickly.”
“In a few moments you will reach school. Look upon the other fathers, tall slim and muscular. They’ve formed groups of friends, they make good money, go to the gym and probably fuck their wives every night till dawn cometh.”
“And look upon their Milfs, they radiate happiness, are part of the school society, they look after their children and party on the weekends.”
“You can and should have this too. Yet you wallow in unspeakable sadness. Even your spiritual friends are happy. Did you not see in last trip to the Land of Ice?”
“Join us all in happiness. Raise your kids in happiness, conquer the world of business and forget this stupidity.”
“You used to meditate and do yoga. You could climb a mountain and instead today you can’t get out of bed without pain!”
Vikid smiled at them and said,
“What you say is true as far as facts may go. But facts are not all there is and I believe the world has fallen for the Cult of Happiness. What I have found is something deeper. Let me try to explain, though I suspect I may fail.”
“These mums and dads that you talk off, yes today they smile but at what cost? They wrapped themselves in a muzzle (for a near two years) and took a vile genetic juice to buy this happiness. Next year it will be Digital ID and climate lockdowns.”
“They don’t know what they’ve done because they can’t see. Like you Ghost of See No Evil. They will be sheeps to the slaughter, when your master comes.”
“When you can’t see the harsh reality you smile with joy, like turkeys smile until it is Christmas.”
“Of what can’t be seen, let me submit some evidence. I have been in Europe only last summer, watched its inhabitants at the beach in their bikinis, slurping on ice creams, hanging out in the Riviera with their Ferrari’s. They were asleep and very happy. Watch this if your stomach dare and then tell me.”
“And what about the children of Iraq, Yemen, Syria and now Ukraine?”
“They cannot hear them cry. I hear their whimpers every night and I cannot sleep. I cannot trade money or happiness upon these great crimes. I do not care for this cost. When your soul connects with the divine, you hear the cry of all souls. But you Ghost of Hear No Evil, you have made the world deaf. And in their deafness everyone parties into the night.”
“And what of speech, it has become taboo to talk even the slightest of truths. To participate in this charade you have to keep dumb like you Ghost of No Speak or face total social rejection.”
“The entire world is being lost, cause we are dumb, blind and deaf. And that ignorance is your bliss.”
“I tried it. I tried to bury myself in materialism, then in science, then in religion, then in spirituality, then in health, then in mysticism. I tried to read books, do drugs, do nothing, do good, do no good, and nothing works. Not when I can see and hear such misery.”
“I have been to the realm of pure joy, I have talked with God, I have a beautiful family, money, intellect and many more wonderful attributes. But now, against my own will I have lost all will. I will not rest until we all can rest, when every child in this forsaken planet can live without fear. I do not know yet what to do. I know misery is a form of narcissism, self pity is the most ugly of all emotions.”
“It’s the card I have been dealt. However, in no fucking way do I want your happiness. May the whole world reject me. I would rather dissolve than go another day with this false happiness, where we do what we must do to get ahead and screw everyone else.”
“I have been part of this system. A strong contributor in fact, but I couldn’t see then either. And even when my eyes finally opened, I didn’t have the courage to change. I think my main misery now is that I still don’t have the courage. I am scared and know not what to do.”
“However Ghosts of Happiness, Rulers of Earthly Joy and Fuckers of Milf, sent by THE DOOM like the Horsemen from Mordor. I no longer accept your happiness.”
“I will not smile while others are raped and whole societies are left waste. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that I can’t. Your power is gone. My soul is connected to a higher power and I will look for divine guidance, whenever it comes. If it comes.”
“In the meantime. I will just have to be a miserable git.”
The Ghosts Roared a hearty one.
“Stupid fool. You risk it all on divine guidance! It will never come. You have not long, you are already doomed. While you wallow, we rage and you will be abandoned. THE DOOM are victorious, they never believed in The Vikid Truth, neither does anyone else, not even yourself!”
“The world will move on. We nailed the last one to a cross. The one before died in starvation. The world continued, unabated. You literally have no hope in hell and your misery is well deserved.”
And then Vikid said,
“Go back to your Eye of Sauron or whatever he is called and tell him this fat, flatfooted Hobbit isn’t yet done. He will stare into the heart of darkness and either it will consume him or he will consume it. There will be no compromise. Then we shall see who is victorious.”
With that, the world reappeared, Vikid was parking his car, the children were still playing in the back and he saw the first Milf enter the school.
By god, she was hot, radiant and happy.
Sadly, this was,