To Want The Impossible
This is what happens when people demand the impossible.
They wanted something possible and it was something he wanted too. So, he obliged. He took on the task with great pride and he created.
They wanted something possible and it wasn’t quite what he wanted. But he felt it was still a good idea. He took on the task, wanting to please them, and still wanting to create. And so he did.
They wanted something possible and he disliked the idea. An argument broke out. He wanted to create something different. One of his ideas. They didn’t want that. They wanted their idea to be created. They didn’t care how much he hated it, they told him to create it. There was never an agreement that he would just create whatever they wanted, but they acted as if this was the agreement. As if someone tore bark off a tree, put ink to a quill, and etched those very words on the soft side of the bark. As if it was then signed by him in a hurry. As if this all happened ages ago, before paper and pens, something that existed forever.
They repeated that they wanted this thing.
They repeated that he needed to create this thing.
They wanted something possible and he disliked the idea. But he worked on the task. He created it.
They wanted something impossible. And he had no opinion on it. It didn’t matter. It was impossible. He told them this and they screamed in his face, demanding the impossible.
He laid out the foolishness of their plan. For him to be in three places at once. How could he be working on one portion of the task here while simultaneously working on another portion there while somehow also in a third location hammering away at other details?
They scoffed at his reasoning. They insisted the impossible be done. They even said the word impossible. They didn’t even hear themselves. Ears plugged up with greed and pride. Sitting on their high throne, wanting the gold surrounding them to be multiplied. Wanting luscious soups to be hand fed to them. All by his hand. All while he simultaneously worked on the impossible task.
He pushed back.
They pushed back.
Do the impossible.
And so he didn’t.
He couldn’t.
But he didn’t even try.
They told him to go back to doing the possible. He did nothing. He stopped speaking. He stood still and stared deep into their eyes.
They told him to go back to doing the possible… the possible that he wanted to do. To create what he loved. He didn’t. He didn’t do anything. He stood in their room of gold and he leered at them. His very presence brought beads of sweat to their sticky skin. They grew uncomfortable. As did the room. As did the gold. It all began to melt away, as if sweating along with them.
Until the room was broken. The ceiling hung and the walls teetered, and everything was dull brown and harsh gray. The gold melted into the very ground beneath them and vanished into the dirt. The worms could have it now. The worms would appreciate it.
And he didn’t move.
And they didn’t stop sweating.
They got up, so out of character, and began their attempts at fixing the walls. But with no skills to fix walls. They pushed portions of wall back up, hoping to reconstruct the whole room with pathetic attempts. The walls stayed in a state of flux, never fully coming down, but very clearly never going to be stood back up. These walls had come down for good.
**************
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Stephen Kramer Avitabile
I'm a creative writer in the way that I write. I hold the pen in this unique and creative way you've never seen. The content which I write... well, it's still to be determined if that's any good.
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Heart of Iron: Tony Stark's Love and Loss
Tony Stark had always been a man of brilliance and ambition. As the genius billionaire behind Stark Industries and the armored superhero Iron Man, he was accustomed to facing challenges head-on, whether in the boardroom or on the battlefield. Yet, amidst his larger-than-life persona, there existed a longing for connection that transcended mere intellectual pursuits. It was at a scientific conference in Geneva where Tony first encountered Dr. Emily Collins. Emily, a renowned physicist specializing in theoretical energy dynamics, captivated Tony with her incisive intellect and unwavering determination. Their initial meeting was not without friction; during Tony's keynote address on renewable energy technologies, Emily posed probing questions that pushed the boundaries of his ideas. Their debate, however, soon evolved into a mutual respect as they discovered a shared passion for pushing the limits of scientific innovation. Tony, ever the charismatic and confident playboy, found himself drawn to Emily in ways he hadn't anticipated. Her sharp wit and genuine curiosity challenged him intellectually, igniting a spark of fascination that extended beyond their professional collaborations. Emily, on her part, was intrigued by Tony's complexity—the dichotomy of the brilliant inventor and the masked hero who battled threats beyond comprehension. Their relationship blossomed gradually amidst the backdrop of Stark Industries' cutting-edge research and Iron Man's ongoing missions to protect humanity. Late-night discussions turned into shared experiments, blending Tony's engineering expertise with Emily's theoretical insights. Their collaborative efforts yielded breakthroughs in clean energy technologies and advanced weaponry, further cementing their professional synergy. Beyond the lab and the battlefield, Tony and Emily found solace in quieter moments. Whether stargazing atop Stark Tower or escaping to remote locations far from the clamor of city life, they reveled in each other's company. Tony, often guarded and aloof, discovered a vulnerability he hadn't experienced before—a desire for companionship that transcended the transient thrill of his former playboy lifestyle. Yet, their idyllic world was soon shattered by the emergence of a new threat—a clandestine organization harnessing Emily's revolutionary energy research for nefarious purposes. Unbeknownst to Tony and Emily, their groundbreaking work had attracted the attention of a malevolent force intent on destabilizing global security. As Iron Man, Tony embarked on a relentless pursuit to uncover the truth behind the organization's motives, while Emily, driven by a sense of responsibility for the unintended consequences of her research, grappled with the ethical implications of her scientific pursuits. The tension between their personal and professional lives reached a breaking point during a pivotal confrontation with the organization's operatives. In a daring rescue mission orchestrated by Iron Man, Emily found herself caught in the crossfire, sustaining grave injuries that threatened her life. Tony, torn between his duty to protect the world and his overwhelming need to safeguard Emily, faced an agonizing choice that would irrevocably alter their lives. In the aftermath of the skirmish, as Emily lay unconscious in a hospital bed, Tony grappled with a profound sense of guilt and helplessness. Despite his superhuman capabilities as Iron Man, he was powerless to shield Emily from the repercussions of their shared endeavors. The weight of responsibility bore down on him, exacerbating his fears of losing the woman who had come to mean more to him than he had ever imagined possible. Days turned into weeks as Emily fought for her life, her condition fluctuating between moments of hope and despair. Tony, ever the pragmatist, immersed himself in the relentless pursuit of technological advancements and strategic alliances aimed at neutralizing the looming threat posed by the clandestine organization. His nights were consumed by feverish calculations and sleepless vigils by Emily's bedside, grappling with the fragility of life and the inevitability of loss. Amidst the turmoil, Tony found himself haunted by memories of their shared moments—their laughter echoing through the corridors of Stark Industries, their heated debates over the intricacies of quantum mechanics, and the quiet tenderness of their stolen embraces beneath the starlit sky. He struggled to reconcile his dual identities as Tony Stark, the brilliant industrialist, and Iron Man, the indomitable Avenger, grappling with the immutable truth that even his armored suit could not shield him from the agony of heartbreak. As Emily's condition stabilized, albeit with uncertain prospects for a full recovery, Tony retreated into a self-imposed isolation, withdrawing from those closest to him in a desperate attempt to shield them from the relentless onslaught of danger that seemed to follow in his wake. His nights became a blur of restless contemplation and solitary introspection, haunted by visions of a future that might never come to pass—a future in which he and Emily could finally embrace the happiness they had been denied by forces beyond their control. In the quiet solitude of his workshop, amidst the hum of machinery and the flickering glow of computer screens, Tony sought refuge in the familiar cadence of innovation—the reassuring rhythm of progress that had defined his existence long before he became Iron Man. Yet, even as he immersed himself in the pursuit of technological marvels that promised to reshape the world, a part of him remained forever tethered to the memory of Emily—the brilliant physicist who had challenged his preconceptions and shattered the walls around his heart. Months passed, and Emily's recovery progressed with painstaking slowness, marked by incremental victories and unforeseen setbacks. Tony, grappling with a profound sense of guilt and remorse, found himself at a crossroads—torn between the relentless demands of his dual identities and the fragile hope that had sustained him through the darkest hours of uncertainty. He sought solace in fleeting moments of normalcy—shared meals with Pepper Potts, his steadfast confidante and CEO of Stark Industries, and sporadic visits to Emily's bedside, where their conversations lingered on the unspoken truths that bound them together. Yet, as Emily's strength returned, so too did the specter of their shared past—a past marked by loss and longing, by promises unfulfilled and dreams deferred. Tony, ever the reluctant hero, struggled to reconcile his conflicting emotions—his unwavering commitment to protecting those he loved and his overwhelming fear of exposing them to the inherent dangers of his tumultuous world. He found himself grappling with the immutable truth that, despite his best efforts, some wounds could never fully heal—that the scars left by their shared ordeal would forever shape the contours of their fragile existence. In the quiet moments before dawn, as the city stirred to life outside the confines of Stark Tower, Tony found himself standing at the precipice of a decision that would redefine the course of his future. He had sacrificed much in the name of duty—endured heartache and sorrow, faced adversaries beyond comprehension, and emerged battered yet unbowed in the relentless pursuit of justice. Yet, amidst the wreckage of his shattered dreams, he clung to a flickering ember of hope—a hope born from the knowledge that, despite the inevitability of loss, love remained the most enduring legacy of all. As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his workshop, Tony resolved to confront the uncertainties that lay ahead—to embrace the fragile beauty of the present moment and the promise of redemption that awaited him beyond the shadows of his tumultuous past. With a newfound sense of purpose, he emerged from the cocoon of solitude that had enveloped him, ready to face the challenges that awaited him with unwavering resolve and an unyielding commitment to honor the memory of Emily—the brilliant physicist who had forever altered the trajectory of his tumultuous journey. In the weeks that followed, Tony Stark, the indomitable Iron Man, embarked on a journey of self-discovery and renewal—a journey marked by moments of triumph and tribulation, of courage and sacrifice, and of love reclaimed amidst the ruins of their shared past. He found solace in the steadfast support of Pepper Potts and the unwavering loyalty of his fellow Avengers, forging alliances that transcended the boundaries of time and space and reaffirmed his belief in the transformative power of hope. As he stood atop the gleaming spires of Stark Tower, surveying the bustling cityscape below, Tony Stark embraced the uncertainty of the future with a newfound sense of purpose and determination. For beneath the armor of Iron Man and the mantle of genius that defined his existence lay a man—a man who had endured the crucible of adversity and emerged stronger, wiser, and more resilient than ever before. And as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue across the skyline of New York City, Tony Stark allowed himself to believe in the possibility of a future shaped not by the shadows of his past, but by the unwavering light of hope that burned brightly within his heart.
By Yash patel3 days ago in Fiction
Comments (19)
Wow great job on this! It was really great!
Intriguing ideas here in your micro. Great job Stephen.
In a word, Masterful!!! Exquisite writing that brings the reader to so many places. I think this piece will have something to say to anyone that reads it and that alone is magical. Congrats on a great Top Story.
Nice work ❤️😗 Just joined haven’t really got to know how people like my stories 😏
This could be applied to so many situations, I think. A great allegorical tale and inspirational. Congrats on TS.
Heyyyy I'm back to say congratulations on your Top Story!
The military-industrial complex meets unforgiving tyrant & the whole world falls apart. Quite the parable, Stephen.
Amazing, Stephen. Wow. I have too many favorite areas, I'll just paste the whole story here, lol. But, damn, this message is so deeply relevant to humanity. The unnatural dynamics between an employee and a boss, especially a greedy boss; the line between doing a task for pragmatism versus passion; the value of a worker bee once he stops working...; just all of it, so so well-written. I agree with Real Poetic -- one of the best things I've read on Vocal. Well-deserved TS!
When you first published this yesterday, I read it, and then I gave it a heart. I didn’t comment at first because I needed to let the message simmer a bit, so I could have time to think of a comment that this piece deserves. When I logged back on, you had already gotten Top Story and I was not surprised at all. This is one of the best stories I’ve read on Vocal Stephen. You have a way of making the reader really dive into your stories. You get right to the meat and potatoes and you do it effortlessly while also still keeping me on my toes for what’s to come. The message is extremely profound as well. Congratulations! 🎊🍾
It has so many ways to read and understand it
Well done
As others have said, there are so many ways to interpret this. Well done, Stephen and congrats on Top Story!
This is excellent, and like Hanna said, can be interpreted in so many ways. Congrats on the TS.
THis is wonderful and can be read so many ways. For a while this was, for me, about God, for a while it was about my relationship, for a while it was about the environment. Excellent work.
I love this so much! An incredible allegory for what all artists go through, trying to balance creativity and commerce. We all want to share our gifts, and to be compensated for our contributions to society so we can have our basic needs met and continue to share those gifts. That’s the dream for everyone. But there’s a reason for the ‘starving artist’ stereotype, and a reason why the most successful artists are awarded wealth and fame. Artists are the most used and abused, until they learn their own worth, and then they become invaluable. But sometimes, that happens far too late. Sometimes they aren’t appreciated until they withdraw from society, refusing to keep sharing, or until they leave this earth. Wonderful story, Stephen.
I've seen quite a few people like that. It seems to be a trend in today's world. Many young people want something for nothing, not willing to work for anything. Our generation was taught to work for what you want and appreciate what you have.
It sounds like much of today's society. The solution is never enough, there must be more until it breaks! Great commentary.
People tend to break when pushed too hard. They got what they deserved. So satisfying to read that! Loved your story!
🖤