Let love conquer all

As I let go of the cord the drug rushed through my veins. For a moment I didn’t understand why I did what I did for what seemed to be a lifetime. I stunk, barely ate, and now lived on the street. The high took effect. The thought passed and time slowed, my thinking was not as heavy as seconds before. At that moment, without a clear head, I understood why I have been an addict for so long. I wanted to escape the mundane depression, pain, and sorrow, to feel love, to feel something at all. As my mind melted I felt something, then and there, I felt something real good.

“Would you look at this piece of work,” the man said a little too aggressively as he passed the drug addict on the street, angrily hitting a can under the bridge. He grunted, showing no sympathy, as if there was no hope for the lost. After a few steps, hands in pockets, he looked back for a moment. The man was a respectable politician and won the senate seat by a landslide. He didn’t like the unpleasant fact that the state he represented had the highest level of destitution. Those on the street were always starting trouble and resorted to drugs as their last redemption. As he was looking back a growing emotion overtook him. If someone were standing next to him they would have noticed his eyes begin to glisten. But no one was near and no one saw the tears that began to flow.

Now a woman approached. Suddenly stopping, “She won’t last long,” the woman exclaimed examining the girl on the floor with her demeaning stare and nose in the air. She had been a doctor for years and could see a lost cause. The co-workers with her nodded in agreement. “The syringe she used could easily have been contaminated,” the doctor continued knowing that the syringe on the ground touched unsterilized surfaces. Like clockwork her co-workers nodded. Then for a few moments they stood and watched the girl in such deep thought. Some with concern, others with disgust, but the doctor simply stared. After awhile, “We better get going, we will miss our train that leaves this hour,” the doctor had finished.

The sun was setting and the breeze was brisk. In the distance, a man was approaching. A bishop, or was a bishop just moments ago. He had fallen in love but could not marry. Long ago he took an oath to remain celibate, which bonded him to Christian service. He decided to let love take over his stubborn promise. It was hard to part with his devout service, but he knew if God was love then let love conquer all. The church had no choice but to excommunicate him. He approached me with a look not filled with disgust, or condescending eyes. As a result, I placed him on a pedestal despite that he lost respect and held no prestige. He was greater than the senator representing a people, and the doctor who was in the business of saving lives. He took my hand and lifted me up. He carried me to a nearby hotel and paid for the expense. I was too weak to speak. I could not thank him. As he came, he left and to a sobering mind I fell asleep.

With a night's rest I awoke, showered, and ate of what was provided. I have not felt this clean, this full, and this loved in a long while. I took the note he had left me, “Let love conquer all,” it read. As my heart melted I felt something, then and there, I felt something real.

Author's Note

Tell me what you think, what you fell, and feedback is appreciated.

Reviews

[Penlady]

I like the way you bring so many facets of society together within one picture frame. All of humanity is seen as they interact or don't. A very different perspective on love conquering all, as it truly does. I think if one thinks about it all stories are about love or the lack of it, how that affects the people or characters in a story and what happens when love touches or doesn't. The writer must simply relate the story in a new way and you have certainly done that. Thank you.

[emma]

Very intruiging. I loved it the second I read the first sentence. The different viewpoints of people is powerful. I really liked the first paragraph because it was the most descriptive and gave me a good sense of what went through the addict's mind. The only thing I would recommend would be to make the ending more descriptive because like i said earlier, I love it when there are good descriptions. i still loved the story and keep up the awesome job :)

[Kachme]

I love the content of your story. The slow build up between stories. My first impression was how prominent the parallels are between the parable of the good Samaritan and the daily view of what is becoming to our high positioned authorities. Their great demise in just thinking and selfish actions.
I really enjoyed reading this piece, the only criticism I have... The writings needs to be a little more tight. I kind of got lost if it was first or third person until the end. I think you can add some reflection sentences between your description sentences. Also how does the main character know the history of the bishop? Just my two cents. :)