The Black Quill

When one writes an autobiography, a part of them is left on the paper. In the 1800s, many people of critical acclaim were writing autobiographies. Most of the people were shallow, placing the highest value not on friends or family, but on wealth and possessions. Because they had so much, the only thing left to do at the end of their life was to preserve it. They falsely held their own lives in such high regard. When in reality, they had just succumbed to an existence devoted to selfishness and greed.



           If an autobiographer wanted to preserve their life as memorably as possible, they would use the Black Quill when writing their autobiography. This quill seemed to have magic properties, and was fabled to enable the writer to craft his or her story to perfection. However, this quill was in every way a feather, with one exception: it was made completely out of obsidian. It also bore an inscription, “He who lives for no one but himself, has not lived at all.” Only people who have lived prosperous lives had the connections required to track down the Black Quill. The quill is controlled by one man named simply, The Decider.



           In this time, any vain person certainly sought after the Black Quill if they wanted to chronicle their selfish existence properly. After said author tracked down The Decider’s whereabouts, he or she was then able to use the Black Quill. It really was as simple as that. The Decider didn’t charge for the use of his quill, nor did he ask for it back. After he gave the quill, he would only whisper, “Shallow waters fade fast.” And as quickly as he appeared, he would disappear, melding into the darkness. Afterwards, the author would then retire to his study, and begin the work of writing an autobiography. As the author wrote, the quill never needed to be dipped in ink, as it had an endless supply. When the author wrote, words, ideas, and memories flowed as if the Black Quill was doing all the work. In a single half hour session, the autobiographer would have his or her work completed. It was as if the author’s soul had filled the paper, using the Black Quill as a conduit.



           If the author did not live a life of vanity, the quill would fade away, and the autobiography would have remained as a perfectly chronicled storyline of the author’s life. However, if the author had lived a shallow life filled with greed and trivial, material things, something much more sinister would occur. They would look at their hands in horror, as they, and themselves, faded completely from existence. It was such a complete fade from existence, it was as if they had never existed at all.



<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">           Like The Decider said, “Shallow waters fade fast.”

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