Ignorance

A monologue from a girl stuck in the midst of the apocalypse. Written as a project for drama class.

It's funny how the pressure of imminent death changes people. Theoretically it's the best way to go, surrounded by those you love, clinging to the one thing that really matters in the futile existence we live. But when we know that we live only to die the way we go becomes so much more important. When we live only to die our deaths define our existence.

We try to make the best of our last moments. We forgive and we forget, but our forgiveness is a lie that will not be forgotten. We spend our last moments pretending. We pretend that we love each other, that in the shadow of death we can put away our grudges. We pretend that the best thing to do is to lie down and accept the end of the world. Accept that our lives mean nothing. Accept that we don’t know how we will die. Accept that we will only ever be remembered by “they gave up.” Accept that-

No! I accept life! I accept that it means nothing if I don’t fight, so I will fight, I will always fight. I will be remembered by “at least they fought.” I will not let my end be described in someone else’s words as if I was too scared to write them myself. I will be my own person; I will not bow down to those more powerful than I, and when they say “the world is ending”... I say No. Not without good reason. Because I’d rather be the sun rising on a barren wasteland then dry leaves pushed around by the wind.

We have been forced into the darkness of ignorance. We are facing an unknown force and we are told that when it comes, and it will, the end will accompany it. And we accept this? People have spent their lives preaching about how “the government lies” and yet when faced with the end of the world… You know, those people will tell you “if the entire world’s governors are in agreement then it must be true.” You accept a truth given without proof. You accept that you are not told how you will die, only that you will. But I...

I will not die in the dark. I have a life full of light and it will not be swallowed by the skeletal clutch of death. I will be like the candle that lights up a black out, bringing with it the hope that this too shall pass. And if I melt I will set fire to the house, I will burn it all down if it means I can make people See! 

See that maybe not all is as it seems. And while they sit in their chairs surrounded by lies and accepting death, I will be here. Playing this game of chess until the board itself has turned into dust. And maybe I will fail. But there isn’t failure without the power of trying. I will try. I will break down all previously established rules in order to discover what our governments have been hiding. It is not the time for dying. Not yet. It is the time to leave, to run, to search, to find, to learn, to share- it is time to live!

What better way is there to die. We spend our lives trying. Constantly searching for the next level up. We should not change when faced with death. After all we have always been dying, and we are not dead yet.

I know that I am leaving behind so much. I take comfort in the fact that I would have left it eventually, and time means nothing anyway, so maybe… Maybe I am wrong. Maybe the truth is worse. But as long as I find answers I will have done something. My last act, an act of truth.

My death defines my life, so maybe if my death is for truth I can put behind every lie I’ve ever told. Every time I was anything less than sincere. This is sincere:

To the governments of the world, watch out. I- We are coming, and we're looking for answers.

Reviews

[Mark Mendoza]

This is a strong passionate monologue that i enjoyed very much. Its nice to see someone strong and powerful with a head on their shoulders. Thank you for sharing.