Happiness is Life: Chapter 1 – Truth Hidden in the Dark

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.