The Last Days of Humankind 5

Today is Tuesday, 9 September 2008.

Time can obscure essential truths. Memory can be made to excuse the greatest evils. Yet who could even hope the future might misunderstand our crimes or imagine me a liar in my play?

But to you --- comrades, friends, buddies, pals --- I vow: these eyes have seen the words of our masters and tormentors, these ears have heard their deeds, and this voice shall so remember them that they shall never escape their deeds.

As Horatio in Hamlet, I say:

"And let me speak to the yet unknowing world
How these things came about: so shall you hear
Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,
Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters,
Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause
And in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall'n on the inventors' heads. All this can I
Truly deliver."

Here then, in my play, is the World War, and my “Proclamation to the Nations,” mocking the proclamation of the Emperor.

As the Emperor declaring war said, I now say, “I’ve thought it all out carefully.”

Humanity is a tragedy with but one actor, and no audience, which I’ve made it my business to record, a play breaking down into scenes of humanity’s breakdown.

“All this can I truly deliver.”

And should our times, which author all these crimes, refuse to hear, I pray there is yet a Spirit above whose compassion for the victims may accept our tragedy, may accept our tragedy, and transfigure it to redemption.

[After a pause: From outside and far away.]

VOICE OF NEWSBOY

Exxx-tra Aussss-gabuhhhh! Exxx-tra E-deee-shun!

[Fade to black.]