Chapter 1 – Truth Hidden in the Dark
Happiness is good. Happiness is the
reason we exist. Happiness is what keeps the world spinning. Happiness is love.
Happiness is life. Happiness is everything. Happiness is mandatory.
This is what we’re told all
throughout our life. Every day we are trained to be happy no matter what. If we
fail to be happy, they give us happy gas to help us be happy. We go to a church
called the Church of Light that preaches the goodness of light and happiness.
It always repeats the same messages about light and happiness and how they should
be valued above all things. I don’t know why they keep talking about the light
when we’ve never been in darkness. I can hardly tell what’s so bad about the lack
of light, but they’re adamant about it.
When we grow up, we take whatever
job they give us and tell us to be happy with it. All jobs pay equally, but
some get by easier than others. My family isn’t one of the ones that get the
higher-paying jobs, but it’s a blessing in disguise since the higher-paying
jobs work their employees hard. Some are even worked to the point of going
crazy. By the time we grow up, we should have permanent smiles on our faces like
our parents. For now, people my age have to wear smiling masks that look kind
of creepy in my opinion. My daily routine involves going to a school where they
give us both physical and mental tests to see if we think positively and feel positive.
If we don’t meet their criteria of
what it is to be positive and happy, then we have to take the happy gas. I
haven’t taken any because I’m one of the few that manage to get by. From what I’ve
heard, the happy gas makes you feel happy, but it also feels horrible when you
take it. You also lose control of yourself and act almost as if you were
possessed by someone. This is nothing compared to the people that don’t pass
high school or break the laws. These people are taken away never to be seen again.
There have been attempts at changing the system to be less restrictive, but the
people who tried to change things disappear. There’s only one choice it seems.
Just be happy.
While heading home from school, I
notice that the streets are particularly empty. This is because there’s supposed
to be a celebration of happiness and the city doesn’t want the streets to be
dirty. They also want people relaxed so they can party all day. The celebrations
of happiness are decent but feel like another test to make sure we’re happy. I
know some of the people in my class like them while I’m indifferent to them. The
only interesting thing that happens during them are the obstacle courses that
people who break the law are forced to go through during the celebration. They
are openly made an example of. I wouldn’t watch the painful displays of
punishment if it weren’t mandatory.
I’ve seen the streets empty like
this before, but what I haven’t seen is a dark alley in person. Light bringers
usually come around to lighten up any place in the city that’s dark. It looks
like this one wasn’t brightened up. No, wait. The light just went out. Since no
one else is around, I might as well see what’s so bad about the darkness. We’re
supposed to report things like this; however, this time I won’t because I want to
know more.
This isn’t bad. It’s just what I
thought it would be like. The darkness can’t hurt me. Sure, it feels a little
eerie because it’s hard to see, but nothing is hurting me. Huh? What’s that in
the darkness? Is that a smile? I can’t tell if it’s part of a picture on the
wall. Pictures all over the city have smiles on them, but I’ve never seen a
smile like this. Hold on. What’s that thing above its smile? It looks like a
band of thorns. Ah! It’s a person!
“Who are you?” I ask.
“My name is Gioioso. What is yours?”
“Allegro. Who are you, Gioioso and
what are you doing here?”
“I am a servant of the Lord who
created both the light and the darkness. He who is Lord above all. He who is
goodness, love, and truth itself.”
“Do all His servants look like you?”
“No, they don’t. I must apologize
for my appearance. Because the authorities learned of my rebellion, they did
this to me to try to make me happy like they want. They bombarded my mind with
their poison and tortured me in what they thought would help me.”
“That’s terrible. You look like you’ve
gone through a lot of suffering.”
“Yes, but it was worth it. I did
what I was supposed to. I’m glad I did it and wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
“You’re glad about it?”
“Yes. I’m glad I suffered for something
I believe in. Happy even because it proves my devotion.”
“Happy? How could you be happy for
suffering?”
“Feeling happy and being happy can be
two different things. A soldier who risks his life in war isn’t happy while
fighting, but he is happy to risk his life for those he loves.”
“Sure, but are soldiers even real?
I thought soldiers and wars were just legends.”
“They are real, and a war is going
on as we speak. The war between good and evil.”
“You mean the war between light and
dark?”
“There is no war between light and
dark because neither are evil. What I mean is there is a war between good and a
false version of it that you see in the society you live in. False smiles.
False light. False happiness. Surely, you’ve noticed it.”
“I know, but what can we do about
it?”
“You follow the Lord. Trust Him.”
“Who is this Lord that you keep talking
about? Tell me where He is.”
“He’s all around us. He sees and knows
everything.”
“So he’s the God of Light?”
“No, He’s not that false idol. He’s
greater than that demon.”
“You’re the closest thing to a
demon I’ve seen if you don’t mind me saying.”
“I understand, but you have to
trust me.”
“I don’t know. I think I should be
going now.”
“Wait. I know I may not appear
trustworthy, but I am. Don’t you think that a person who has suffered for so
much for what he believes in should be listened to?”
“Maybe it proves you’re crazy.”
“That could be true for someone else.
It isn’t for me. You had the right sense to go into the darkness despite being
told from birth to never do so. You are being called for something greater.
Something right. If you leave now, you may never come back. This might be your
only chance to find the truth.”
“I don’t know. It seems right, but
it doesn’t feel right.”
“Ask yourself this then. Do your
feelings have anything to do whether or not something is true?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Then follow me and I will bring
you to the truth.”
I wanted this so I might as well see it through to the end. Gioioso goes further into the
darkness as I follow him. Everything around me grows darker and darker
until I can barely see in front of me. It's like I've entered a black hole that they've talked about in stories that would swallow people up and destroy their existence.
“I can’t see, Gioioso. How much
further do we have to go?”
“You must go as far as you need to.
Don’t complain. Just keep going until you reach your goal.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You were taught that feeling happy
is integral to being happy. You will learn that living a happy life involves
sacrifice and pain. Watch your step.”
“Huh? Ah!”
Ack. I fell down a hole I didn't see. Where am I? This looks to be a dark sewer that isn't operable since there isn't any flowing
water or waste around here. It barely even smells like what I would expect a sewer to.
“Gioioso? Where am I?”
“You’re in the place where you will
find the truth. Persevere and you will find a treasure worth more than anything
in the world. You will find the truth.”
“Which way should I go? I can’t see
anything.”
“You followed your reason to this
place. Keep following it. I will be with you before you know it.”
“I’d like you to be here now to
guide me. Gioioso? Gioioso!”
There's no use standing around here. I might as well do as he said and follow my reason. Hopefully, I can find the truth and a way out. This doesn't look like the start of something good.
