transient tales

infinite

title • infinite
date published • 2 march 2021
word count • 796 excluding the an

five word prompt • agathokakological, god, constellation, black hole, apocalypse
~~~

...𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝...

~~~

Phoenix Duan was a collector of names. Given to him from parents, friends, and rivals, his names were just about the only things he'd earned. Among his sizable hoard of monikers were "Phuc"(from his parents) and "Phoenix", "Bastard", "Worthless Son", and most recently, "The Heir of the Company".

The latest one was Phoenix's least favorite. He knew he wasn't even capable of making peace with a playground rival, much less with a business partner. Even his parents doubted him, telling his tutors that he was an "agathokakological" child, and while he didn't know what that meant, he assumed it was bad, as all words describing him was.

As Phoenix lay in bed, glaring out the window and cursing his father, he searched the sky, looking for a constellation. The Infinitum Scroll, the church's most sacred text, prophesied that the night the last star in that constellation blinked out would signify the beginning of an apocalypse. Or at least, that's what people thought it said. As with all artifacts, the scroll hadn't been completely immune to the effects of time. It was missing its bottom half, but it was presumed that it was a depiction of the events described in the prophecy.

Phoenix's eyes found the constellation, the Ratio Aureum. Made up of six twinkling stars, the constellation formed a golden rectangle. The brightest star, Ad Infinitum, suddenly glowed more luminous, pulsing with a great light, before—

Phoenix sat up with a gasp. In the place where the light had glowed in the sky, was nothing. Nothing but an empty navy-blue patch of space. He felt dread creeping up on him. Although he wasn't among those who believed in the Infinitum Scroll, Ad Infinitum had always been a comfort to him, to everyone.

Phoenix was jolted from his thoughts by waves of public safety alarms, echoing down the street. The notification read: "Scientists believe star Ad infinitum has collapsed into a black hole."

Out on the street, wails of apprehension filled the air. Instagram notifications pinged on his phone, alerting him to video clips of people breaking down at the park. Several news articles headlines popped up: Beefood's "Watch these 20 Hilarious Reactions to Ad Infinitum's Death", DBC's "Ad Infinitum's Death and What it Means for You", and Tiger's "Duan Innovations Under Fire, Accused of Causing Enough Smog to Block the Star, Despite Science Proving These Arguments Fallacious". Phoenix's thumb scrolled and scrolled, and he dove into a despair, spurred on by the others mourning the star along with him. His internet surfing was interrupted by a throat-clearing noise at the door.

"Phuc." His father entered the room, sitting cross-legged on his bed. "You've already heard about everyone's reactions to the whole... star business?"

"Tch." Phoenix rolled his eyes and pushed back the dread, forcing indifference onto himself. "Serves them right for believing that a star is a sign from god or whatever."

His father nodded, then leaned forward, in the way he did when he was about to propose a new deal. "Phuc. My son. I understand that you have no desire to be the next CEO of Duan Innovations, correct?" He asked, pausing briefly to see Phoenix's nod of confirmation.

"I'll make you a deal. I will pass the company on to your younger sister, in exchange for one favor."

Phoenix narrowed his eyes. "And what favor would that be?"

"...Find a way to diffuse the public panic around the Infin—"

"What? And how would I do that?"

"That's why I'm asking you. Remember, this is your one chance to rid yourself of all future responsibilities. Think about it." His dad patted his back, then left.

Solve this entire problem. That's all I need to do. Phoenix scoffed, then returned to the news. Days passed, and the panic grew with every passing hour, as if the entire world was holding its breath until the big release, the prophesied moment. Phoenix sat in his spinny chair, halfheartedly thinking of ways to avoid being the CEO™.

Suddenly, an image flashed into his mind. The Infinitum Scroll! That was the answer. Scribbling notes and drafting a fancy-sounding chunck of text, Phoenix called up a handlettering artist.

"Yes, I need you to write it in a lettering similar to the writing on the scroll... mhm... thank you. Bye."

He set down his phone and sighed. Daydreamed of his future: presenting the "missing piece of the scroll" predicting that the death of the star would have no effect on Earth. He'd be revered as a sign from God, an angel among humans.

A future as malleable as clay.

But to succeed in turning a dream into reality, that was the struggle...

AHHHH IM SO SORRY I FORGOT ABOUT THIS AND WROTE THIS TODAY  TheGemmeCommunity