The Crown of Death

The “Crown of Death” had long devastated the city. No other pesitilence had ever been so brutal nor so remarkably displeasing. A large black crown-like emblem could be found indiscriminately and on just one particular aspect of the body. Unlike other diseases of the time, this pestilence didn’t cause any immediate pain. Rather, the disease would slowly disintegrate the body--first, by consuming white blood cells, then by inhabiting the fat. As a natural yet unfortunate intial reaction to the knowledge of this unknown illness, many ignorant individuals welcomed the crown into their lives. They hoped that the weight loss would slim their bodies to their personal fantasies.

The Crown of Death held no care to the plight of the ignorant nor the conscientious. It just wanted to feed and spread. And, due to people’s negligence of each other, spread it did. Once the Crown entered the human body, it would readily take the shape and functionality of the white blood cell. Such trickery allowed for a steady hunt against the "fighter" cells. One by one, the imposter fighter cells would creep upon the white cells before prouncing suddenly towards its prey. It would then quickly absorb the helpless cells. Not long after, the imposter cell would regurgitate the defeated fighter cell, only now it’s internal design and purpose were aligned with the Crown.

Next, Dozens of newly crowned imposter cells would search, locate and infest the fat of the human body. The eating was fast, yet not so fast as to cause uncomfortable aches within the body. The intelligence of the Crown was unparalled. After these two fazes are completed, the Crown now only had to deliver the final devasting blow to the human condition.

People who were at first sleeping or walking, either unaware or conscious of the effects of the Crown would--seemingly out of the blue--suffer great pains. The primary source of the pain was ignited within the stomach. Individuals would whimper and lumber their upper-torso down towards their knees. Once this effect occured, there would be no prayer nor medicine that could take the pain away. The crown worked swiftly and without a care.

Those who began to curl on the floor due to the unrelenting pain would soon recieve another side-effect. Their skin--once clear and smooth--rapidly began to spoil until the epidermis resembled the pigment of darkly shaded clouds. Their teeth were yellowed, their eyes were nearly scarlet and the tounge almost appeared to be made of ash. At this stage, indiviudals rocked themsleves in the fetal position while continuously and incoherently moaning in a tired pain.

The last stage was the most brutal. The bones and ligaments and tendons of the infected would begin to break, twist and reconfigure itself. The body would shrink until its length was comparable to that of a child’s. Spectators and family members watched in horror, somtimes in emotionless stature, as death was swiftly taking place in front of them. In the end, the individual would lay motionless, their bodies transmuted into somehting unspeakable by most and unthinkable by the rest. Their bodies seemed to resemble a Crown-- cold and dark. Then, the Crown of Death would hold illimitable domion over the minds and souls of all.