Dismay

Dismay was her name. And she had been the most popular person in the world from the beginning. Every day when Dismay rose, the world would know her name. Parents would pray for her to never show up their children’s lives. Governments would rise and fall at her command. Empires and dynasties fell at her whim. Thousands would die by her mighty stroke every dawn and every dusk.
During her life, there were times when her popularity grew too much for the world to stand. When millions died, or when the beloved fell, the world would cry out for her to never show her face. But at times of peace, leaders would call out for her as a guiding light towards the future. They would set her on a pedestal and drive her into the hearts of those they wished to suffer. Even when the tragedies were too much for Dismay, the world would scratch and claw for her to show the enemies her wrath.
When an individual was feeling resentment or envy towards a foe, Dismay would be there. Or when a killer was set on trial for his crimes, Dismay was there. And even when a small child was walking home from school alone, Dismay would show her ugly face and ruin the lives of many. Not a single day passed that Dismay was not hard at work, and she grew tired.
One day upon waking, Dismay decided that she would not longer do her job. Even her vanity could not overcome the sickness that she felt from her existence. And on that day Dismay turned over a new leaf.
The world was then a peaceful place, where countries did not quarrel over small acts. And people let the world be, as it should. Hands were grasped together in harmony and the earth turned to a new tune.
Meanwhile, Dismay was hard at work in order to change what she had done. She would travel from place to place, saving lives and ending wars. Her handy work had been so invasive throughout the world that it took decades to clean up the mess she had made. And when she was done, she looked out across the world and heaved a sigh of relief. No longer would she be popular, and no longer would the world curse her name.
But dismay was confused, and Dismay was wrong in her assumption. Even as the world grew more peaceful, did her name become even more popular. She could not be two people, she thought. Death and misfortune were still occurring if not on a grand scale. The people now expected peace, and even a small dose of Dismay drove the people into frenzy. Now, more than ever, did people scream the name of Dismay; wondering why she still existed and why she still tortured their lives.
With this, Dismay grew angry and vengeful towards the people she tried to help. With a swift hand and even quicker action she responded in all aspects of life. Dismay crowded the world with her black hair, and surrounded life with her fury. All she ever wanted was to be accepted, to be understood. Why could the world not see that she will always exist and that even efforts to minimize her destruction were futile? But the people would not listen.
Not even the greatest minds in the world could rationalize the need for Dismay. And with each day her hatred of their ignorance grew stronger. Finally one day Dismay decided they all needed see her fury. Not a single person in the world was open enough to accept that she exists. They would pray and plead with each other for Dismay to disappear. So Dismay made them all disappear.
Acting on a leader’s order, Dismay made sure that not a single person was left to complain. And with that, the world was gone.
As dismay now sat looking over the world with a smile, she saw a single man clinging to life. She expected to hear his cursing her existence and was poised to stop his speech. But the man saw Dismay and looked her in the eyes. With his last gasping breath he whispered to her. “Even though the world is filled with Dismay, there is always tomorrow to look forward too.” And with that the man died.
Dismay now sat alone realizing that there was no tomorrow, and that without the people she could not exist; And that without her, people could not look forward to tomorrow.

And with that Dismay vanished quietly into nothing. The world no longer had a tomorrow to look forward too, with or without her.