Death is Eternal #370

Sunday. October 15, 2023. 1,752 words.

It’s weird to think that although there was a brand new Death is Eternal last week, it’s been two weeks since I last sat down to write the newsletter. Scheduling technology is so simple but so wonderful, eh? Or maybe I’m so old that any technology, even the simpler ones, amazes me. I think it’s the latter. Regardless of being the oldest 31-year-old ever or simply a person who recognizes the wonder in the small things, let’s see what I have to tell you all this week.

Contents

1. War of the Sicilian Vespers

2. Writing: The will

3. Bye!

4. Life (from October 8 to 22, 2023)

5. Death is Eternal review #241: DC: The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke, Dave Stewart, and Jared K. Fletcher

6. The end

1. War of the Sicilian Vespers

The soldier’s voice cut through the weary air like a blade, a question tinged with weariness and confusion. The others exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting the same uncertainty that clouded the soldier’s mind. The origin of their strife had become a shadowy spectre, a distant memory lost amid the thunder of battle, the sting of wounds, and the gnawing ache of hunger.

A sigh escaped the soldier’s lips, a breath heavy with resignation, “Yeah, I figured.”

Turning back to his meagre ration, the soldier surveyed the pitiful morsels before him. Each bite was a calculated dance, a choreography of survival. The light fare allowed for a trifling three mouthfuls, a cruel jest of sustenance. Yet, they all knew the importance of savouring these moments, of tricking their bodies into satiety.

Their commander’s gruff yet oddly wise voice resonated across the makeshift mess, “You must convince your mind that it feasts on plenty. Embrace this illusion, let it consume you, and hunger shall become a phantom.”

Night after night, they sought solace in the commander’s counsel. Night after night, the illusion crumbled beneath the weight of reality.

After each careful nibble, the soldier’s thoughts circled back to his grievances, his voice rising like a flagbearer heralding rebellion, “It’s an injustice, plain and simple. We should not wither and die because of someone else’s quarrel. They should settle their disputes in their own arena, whether Pope or King. I won’t dance to their tune any longer!”

A ripple of fervent agreement echoed through the ranks, save for one dissenting voice.

“Oh, spare us your lofty proclamations! Preaching from the trenches is easy, but would you not do the same if their power coursed through your veins? Who among us could resist the allure of more land, more gold, more dominion? Don’t be a fool. Eat your fill and spare us the sermon.”

Silence descended, punctuated only by the pitter-patter of rain and the muffled sounds of their comrades. Eyes widened in realization, and then, slowly, they all shrugged. The man had spoken the unvarnished truth. They, too, would wield that power if their roles were reversed.

“Well, at the very least, we fight for God and the Pope, do we not?” The question lingered in the damp air, seeking affirmation amidst the grim tableau of warriors bound by circumstance, driven by forces beyond their control.

The end

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The War of the Sicilian Vespers, or just War of the Vespers, was a conflict that started with the insurrection of the Sicilian Vespers against Charles of Anjou in 1282 and ended in 1302 with the Peace of Caltabellotta. It was fought in Sicily, Catalonia (the Aragonese Crusade) and elsewhere in the western Mediterranean between the kings of Aragon on one side against the Angevin Charles of Anjou, his son Charles II, the kings of France, and the Papacy on the other side. The war resulted in the division of the old Kingdom of Sicily; at Caltabellotta, Charles II was confirmed king of Sicily’s peninsular territories (“The Kingdom of Sicily on the other side of the Strait,” Naples). In contrast, Frederick III was confirmed as king of the island territories (“The Kingdom of Sicily across the Strait,” Trinacria).

2. Writing: The will

Credit: Substack (a cat looking in the mirror)

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” is how the old saying goes.

But lately, I found that hard to believe because I have the will and desire to write, but still, I can’t find myself sitting down, shutting down the real world, and living in whatever world I can create as I type down words.

And funnily enough, that only happens when I’m trying to do creative writing—after all if it were all types of writing, you wouldn’t be reading a new Death is Eternal weekly. That makes me think that something is happening inside me. I want to write and can write, but I can’t focus and prioritize (creative) writing. And I think I’m starting to uncover the hidden and elusive truth.

I’m afraid.

Not long ago, I mentioned my new plan to get published...

Rereading that section and the following one, I realized I already knew what was stopping me. And I’m so afraid I somehow forgot I already had the answer. Fear is a powerful and paralyzing feeling. Holy fuck!

Anyway, I feared not getting published because no one knew me. I was afraid of not writing good short stories because I never tried to write good ones. Now, I’m so scared of getting rejected because even though I want to try and focus on short stories instead of romances—using them as steps in a ladder to achieve my biggest dream—I still don’t want to deal with more rejection, which will happen! It’s impossible not to happen.

So now I have to devise a way of forgetting that I’m writing for a specific place (prize, literary magazine, etc.), even though I just read the guideline submissions and what they’re looking for in a short story. Will it be easy? Fuck no! But, at least now I know what’s happening to me, and knowing the problem is a great start.

(Also, you should always come up with the title after you write what you want/need to write. Did I talk about “will” here? I mentioned briefly, but the focus was fear; still, if you read the title, you’ll think I’ll focus on “will” rather than “fear.” Could I change it? Absolutely? Will I? No! Why? Because I liked how “Writing: The will” sounds.)

3. Bye!

Here’s where we say our farewell to the free subscribers. If you want to read the rest of Death is Eternal, consider becoming a paying subscriber. If you already are a paying subscriber, first of all, thank you very, very much! And second, I’ll see you on the other side of the paywall.