The Gadfly

While their origin was always clear, their identity was not–to the masses. Myself and others always knew who they were, but that identity mattered little when considering the doubt they sowed and the revolution they attempted to reap. They became an idea and a way to be. More of a mindset, less of an individual. The government saw to that last part with finality.

Radicalized by the outrageous circumstances presented within a fascist state, they developed the power of keen observation and the ability to not only see things as they truly are but to help others see them, too—a gift to some that many interpreted as a villainous curse.

The waxing tide of lethal, if not genocidal, policies, which led to the demise of several members of their family and friends, first indicated that something was amiss.

From forced displacement and death due to a lack of resources...

to blistering heat...

and diseases running rampant that had already once been eradicated...

the world seemed bleak.

Absurd didn't begin to describe the conditions, but that is where they served best–amidst the unknown, the feral, and the divided.

Their power of perspective and the influence it carried was dangerous to the status quo. They made an enemy of "normal"–the heads of state and the sheep. That did not end well for them.

They may be gone now, but I swell with hope when I hear their Socratic approach among those who might not have questioned things otherwise.

Their work is far from done.