The Beauty on This Cruel, Cold, Hard Earth | Teen Ink

The Beauty on This Cruel, Cold, Hard Earth

August 15, 2010
By Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott


Beauty. What does anyone know about it? “Darling, you look lovely.” “My little boy has grown so handsome.” “The sunset is simply gorgeous.” “That view is breathtaking.” Well, there is something to be told. Those are the words of the clueless. Ah if only they knew.

The “sweet lady”. Well, little does he know what she does every day. He leaves, believing he has seen an angel. She… well, she just does what she does best. She entices her anger, embraces it, wields it as she hurls her poisoned daggers. Daggers that she, herself had so carefully poisoned. Bitter words. Thundering accusations. Erasing happiness from the eyes of those who had given all to her. Vicious demands. Screaming maledictions. Hacking away at their lives, turning pride to misery, mahogany locks to those of listless grey. How lovely, would you not agree?

Oh, the handsome young lad. Pity, pity I send to the naïve father whose years have not brought wisdom. If only he knew. If only he knew his intelligent, polite son. But little does he know, when he closes his eyes, too pleased to leave them open, his gentleman stomps out budding life. He closes his eyes, believing that he is the parent of a benevolent young lord. The handsome lad… he hunts. No, he does not kill. He only mutilates. How could he kill a soul? No, he only leaves them bleeding. No, he only takes away their limbs. No, he only shreds the fur, plucks the feathers, a charming smile on his face. Gleaming eyes portray his enjoyment. Look now, his baby cousin. He takes him for a walk… some alone time. Smiles his charming smile, “Look baby, pretty blade, how it sparkles…” Handsome lord, inside and out. Kind soul, kind heart.

The sunset, the gorgeous, gorgeous sunset. It is beautiful, but… never mind. Never mind it sets on injustice. What does it matter, to those fanatics, the suffering of tortured hostages, cold-hearted, prospering killers? They see the sunset that is of a distinguished beauty, it sets over families, families of panic-stricken beings, waiting, waiting for the siren to mark the bombing of their home, waiting for news of their own, of wrecked body and soul. Real beauty, is it not? The setting sun that brings more pain and no relief.

Breathtaking view. Peaceful, pleasant to the eye, surely this is beauty. Oh, yes… no, but, never mind. Never mind that years before, death reigned here. Of course, it was ‘beautiful’. Stiff piles. Stiff piles of those who moved and talked, and lived and loved. Nay, hardly corpses, naked skeletons. Those who saw, and felt that which should have never been. Round-bellied children, faint with hunger, nothing more than scared, hollow creatures. Shouts of “Heil Hitler,” laughter and smiles as the hunted dropped motionless, as old and young lost everything in chambers where poison pellets rained down, as smoke raced out of the chimneys, seeking final rest in the sky, as limp skin and bones fell down, embracing the frigid ground. This is ‘beautiful’, is it not, 11… million, such a ‘lovely’ number… of those who will never pick out beauty on this cruel, cold, hard earth.


The author's comments:
This is somewhat of a blend; there is a non-fiction historical part, but most of it is realistic fiction.

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This article has 33 comments.


on Nov. 21 2011 at 4:31 pm
ChocoMint SILVER, Bloomington, Indiana
7 articles 0 photos 129 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.&quot; - Anonymous <br /> <br /> &quot;Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.&quot; - Anonymous

It was confusing. I couldn't understand it, and I couldn't get what you were exactly trying to portray. I know it was cruel beauty, the realistic side to it, but I just didn't feel that when I was reading. My advice would be to stick to one character and develop the beauty you want there.  <><

on Aug. 18 2011 at 8:38 am
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

,okay, :-)

on Aug. 15 2011 at 8:32 pm
secrets_of_silence GOLD, Gisborne, Other
12 articles 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
life had i loved the more<br /> had it but passed away<br /> as quietly as the day<br /> ebbs from the darkening star.<br /> <br /> <br /> -emanuel litvinoff

nah not at all, just fear was there but it doesnt regester with me anymore

on Aug. 15 2011 at 9:25 am
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

Yep, beauty can hide what's rotten on the inside. Sorry if I freaked you out too much with the story, though.

on Aug. 15 2011 at 9:21 am
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

Thank you, after reading your comment, I realized that I could write a short story begining with the same lines... perhaps about a psychopath, that would be fun...thanks for the inspiration... I guess I meant this to be less of a "story" and more of a gathering of thoughts on the subject.

on Aug. 14 2011 at 5:22 pm
secrets_of_silence GOLD, Gisborne, Other
12 articles 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
life had i loved the more<br /> had it but passed away<br /> as quietly as the day<br /> ebbs from the darkening star.<br /> <br /> <br /> -emanuel litvinoff

wow, shows what hides beneath..... kinda scary

on Aug. 14 2011 at 12:36 pm
claudiathewho SILVER, West Tisbury, Massachusetts
8 articles 1 photo 43 comments
Whoosh—that intro pulled me right in: "Beauty. What does anyone know about it?" I felt like I would hit the ground running from then, but the pace slowed down a bit as I struggled to get a grip on the meaning of the story. After a second read, I understood it more clearly. This story sheds a light on the often dark face of reality. Flowery language, but again, carefully crafted.

on Aug. 13 2011 at 11:45 am
Tongue_Blep PLATINUM, ????, Ohio
40 articles 1 photo 769 comments
ur so very welcome! :)(:

on Aug. 11 2011 at 8:44 pm
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

thank you so much for your kind words!

on Aug. 11 2011 at 6:05 pm
Tongue_Blep PLATINUM, ????, Ohio
40 articles 1 photo 769 comments
another one of ur beautiful stories. I am lost for words. . . again lol! Onchor! Onchor!!! :)(:

on Aug. 1 2011 at 10:22 am
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

Thanks to all who commented!

on Jul. 22 2011 at 10:10 pm
julietmonroe5683 BRONZE, Alpharetta, Georgia
2 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
She who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

This is beautiful writing!

on May. 30 2011 at 10:44 pm
krarthurs SILVER, Plymouth, Massachusetts
9 articles 3 photos 87 comments

Favorite Quote:
All generous minds have a horror of what are commonly called &quot;Facts&quot;. They are the brute beasts of the intellectual domain. <br /> -Thomas Hobbes

I loved this because of how dark it was. The truth is so powerful and I loved every thing about it. Excellent job.

on Nov. 22 2010 at 3:49 pm
AelitaReloaded PLATINUM, Scottsdale, Arizona
22 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The pen is mightier than the sword&quot; author unknown (to me)

Wow, that was very dark.  Not exactly my cup of tea... but it was pretty well-written.

on Nov. 11 2010 at 4:32 pm
mudpuppy BRONZE, Orangeburg, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 475 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is like a box of cheese and flower petal sometimes it&#039;s soft and sweet, sometimes it just plain stinks. - M.J.

You welcome. It was my pleasure to read it. :)

on Nov. 11 2010 at 11:38 am
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

Thanks for your comment!

on Oct. 7 2010 at 9:13 am
mudpuppy BRONZE, Orangeburg, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 475 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is like a box of cheese and flower petal sometimes it&#039;s soft and sweet, sometimes it just plain stinks. - M.J.

This piece is so bone-chiling yet true. This world is a place of shallowness when it comes to appearences; and it also can be a place of wickness mask by vainty and igronence. :)

on Sep. 12 2010 at 3:49 pm
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

Thank you very much, I'll read your story.

Whylime said...
on Sep. 11 2010 at 6:36 pm
Whylime, Brentwood, Tennessee
0 articles 0 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
Grief is the price we pay for love -- Queen Elizabeth ll<br /> Don&#039;t go there, I&#039;ll only follow -- ??? <br /> Why is a raven like a writing desk? -- The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland<br /> Chewing gum is really gross, chewing gum I hate the most -- Willy W.

Oh, this is lovely. But without the irony that "lovely" means in the story. (: I really love this. Would you mind reading "my present, but please not my future"? i'd really appreciate it!

on Sep. 11 2010 at 10:06 am
Blue4indigo PLATINUM, Sturbridge, Connecticut
24 articles 0 photos 382 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;d rather be sorry for something that I did than for something I didn&#039;t do.<br /> -Red Scott

Thanks, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on my story!