Hope has Dirt on Her Face

This story was inspired by a reddit post I saw here.

“Face it.” Resignation sneered. “You lost. You and all the others who thought you could triumph over Despair. You lost. It’s time sister. Resign.”

“Never.” Hope spat a tooth out her bloody mouth at her brother. Resignation’s eyes narrowed at his sister’s refusal to submit, to resign. He tossed her with all his strength to the hard, cobblestone pavement. It shuddered as Hope crashed into it, the grit and dirt of its stones rising into the air before settling on her broken body. 

“Look at the damage you and yours have wrought. Look at it!” Resignation screamed and when Hope did not, could not, comply, he lifted her by her pure white, blood splattered hair as she clawed hopelessly at his black, formless hands. He forced her to look at the damage she and her siblings had wrought.

Everything they had built. Destroyed. The beautiful home she had built with Love, destroyed by Betrayal and stained with Regret. The life’s work she and Passion had thrown their lives into, that they had fought so long and hard for, torn to shreds by Apathy and Hatred. Even the peaceful fields and forests Serenity had laboriously planted had been razed to the ground by Anxiety and Fear. Even Courage, as they fought together with Hope, lay broken. Battered, bruised, and bloody on the cobblestones in front of Hope. Their once formidable great sword had turned into little more than a chipped, rusty pen knife.

“If you hadn’t been so foolish as to build all of this, they never would have suffered. Our sisters and brothers could have lived peacefully with me. And now? Look at them! They all suffer! Languishing with Pain, Misery, and Despair all because you had to spur them on. You had to—”

Hope’s elbow smashed into Resignation’s side with enough force to surprise him and drop Hope to her hands and knees. He stumbled back, clutching his side. Hope spit out another bloody tooth.

“Do you ever shut up brother?” Hope sighed. Resignation practically growled at his sister. Resignation should have pounced on his sister, smashed her head into the cobblestone until she was nothing but a red smear on the ground. But something in the way she slowly started to stand, to look out at the havoc she and their siblings had wrought, stopped him.

“All that you say is true. I’ve never denied it, nor will I ever deny it. We see the same things you and I brother.” Standing at her full height, Hope clutched her dislocated elbow and looked out at the sight Resignation had so angrily demanded she look out at. “But where you see what has been destroyed and what might be destroyed, I see what has been built and what could be built.”

The beautiful home she built with Love, destroyed by Betrayal and stained with Regret, could be rebuilt with Forgiveness. The life’s work she and Passion had thrown their lives into, torn to shreds by Apathy and Hatred, could be built anew. It could be improved on and perfected with the help of Persistence. As for Serenity’s forest, it would grow again. After all, the fires of today can plant the seeds of tomorrow. And even Courage, with her chipped, rusty, pen knife, she only needed to join hands with Hope once more and together, the formidable great sword of Courage would be reignited. So long as Hope stood, a path forward could be found.

“You and so many others believe me to be blinded by what I see, blind to the truth and the reality of it all. You think I am nothing but an idealist.” Hope turned to face Resignation. “But look at me, brother. Look at the dirt on my face. The blood on my knuckles. The grit of the cobblestone in my hair.” Despite Resignation, Hope smiles. “You and yours may think I hate you, despise you for what you do to me. But in truth, I’m thankful. Without you, without our siblings, I would be as arrogant as you believe.” Hope extended her bloody hand to Resignation.

“But now that you’ve shown me what I need to see, what say you do what you do best and resign?” Resignation stepped forward to meet Hope.

“I will be back. We will all be back one day sister. Never forget that.” Resignation said, shaking Hope’s bloody hand. As they shook, Resignation disappeared.

“I know brother. I’m counting on it.”