Writing Prompts

“No, it doesn’t work like that anymore. I’ve spent a lifetime taking lives without consent. If you want it done, you’ve got to be the one.” said Balance.

“...but, but hundreds will die, if you don’t save them!”. The man was sweating. He was told this would happen but hoped to appeal to Balance’s better nature.

“No, hundreds will die if *you *don’t save them. So you have to to say it, and be ready to accept what that means. You have to say ‘I want you to kill me’, and know that I will follow through with it. That is the price you have to pay before I can and will act. So say it, or get out of here.”

The man lowered his eyes and turn, walking away. Balance glanced back at the man and called after him. “Know what you did today. You had a chance to be a hero and save those people, but you chose to survive and let those people die to continue to live yourself. I don’t blame you, but don’t you ever think for a second you’re capable of a selfless heroic act. You had your chance and you chose yourself.” Balance walked back inside the room and closed the door.

“A bit harsh on him, weren’t you?” A gray haired man seated inside said to him.

“I just don’t have time for it anymore. I spent years wrestling with the moral and ethical quandaries of this thing with everyone looking at me to save them, years of killing ‘bad guys’ to save ‘good guys’ only to watch those same ‘good guys’ commit minor and major atrocities to others afterward. I’m done with that. Now its on each of them to carry the weight and consequences of the decision to kill. Now where were we?”

“I was telling you about my son.” The gray hair man stared at the hospital bed next to him and the young man laying in it. “He’s grown into a man I am very proud of. However the tumor is inoperable, and he will die without a doubt inside of a month unless the tumor is removed. With your powers you can remove it entirely, and give him a chance to live.” Balance stared deeply into the eyes of the gray haired man.

“Yes, I can, but you need to say it.”

“Balance, I want you to kill me, ”. Balance nodded, and got to work feeling the power surge through his body.