The Four Horsemen.

                                 

Once in a place unknown, in a time yet to be, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse sat around a table conversing about their jobs. War of course was the first to speak,

 “I have to say, I really do love this job! It’s so easy, humans are so eager to kill each other I barely have to try! But ain’t it some spectacle to watch?”  He laughed heartily, leaning back in his chair.

“Feh, war is much too noisy, much too…active for my tastes.” Famine spoke up, hands over his ears. “So much screaming and clanging of steel. And those weapons now? Sure they’re quick, but such a mess. My way is much better. Slow and quiet.”

“And where is the fun in that!?” Plague shouted, green mucus spraying from his lips. “Make it slow sure, but make it fun! What’s a little belly-aching? My way is much more fun, not just the stomach, but everything! People writhing and oozing, it’s such a menagerie of color and sound its almost beautiful!”

“Either way, it’s Death who really deserves our thanks. Without him the screams would go on so long eventually we’d get tired of them. He keeps this fun, don’t you old friend?” War said, grinning widely at Death, who sat quiet and still. Suddenly Death stood and turned his back to them. As his voice began to emanate from his empty skull, the three horsemen shuddered as a chill washed over them.

“You three sicken me. You think I do this for fun? Do you have any idea what it’s like to be me? Oh I hear their screams all right. And when the pain and agony becomes all too much, it is my name they scream to the darkness.” He turned and slammed a bony fist into the table. “You three revel in the suffering of thousands of innocents! You bring them nothing but pain! I am nothing like you. I bring them rest. I bring them the soothing grace of death. I do this not because I enjoy it. I do this because it is right. For without me, suffering would be eternal. And when the world ends, and I lock the doors of this place behind me as I go, you all will cease to be. Without the humans you so love to torture, you will be no more. For every War, there is peace. For every Famine, a feast. For every Plague, a cure. But Death is eternal.” And with that he left, leaving his brothers in stunned silence to think upon their existence.

They would never speak of this moment again.