denouement from endless melancholia by EARTHEN SHIELD

The statue I had seen before was nothing—a mere fragment of the colossus that loomed above me now. No words could capture its true scale; only a mountain could serve as a comparison.

It stared down with vast, radiant eyes—cold, ancient, knowing things no mortal mind was ever meant to grasp. The weight of its gaze crushed me. Finally, I surrender. My body folds, and I bow before it, powerless against the undeniable force of its presence.

My face presses into the wet, rocky earth, and the sound begins to rise again. But this time, it comes from above. A dreadful resonance, building, vibrating through my bones. My insides churn and spill, my skin splitting like fragile porcelain. Agony floods my senses—my vision erupts in a blinding flash, my eardrums rupture with a sickening pop.

And yet, even through the torment, I understand.

I see the terrible beauty before me. I recognize divinity. This is a god, and I am blessed to bear witness.

With a final, silent scream, I release my last breath, offering up all that I am.

Now, at last, I may rest. The eternal sleep welcomes me, and I go willingly, grateful.

• Electronic
• gnome music
• rochester
• United States