Sufferance

Dukkha shrugged into her black cold-weather cloak. She had to go into market today to try and sell some furrow root she'd gathered. Dukkha walked slowly toward town. Dukkha approached the gate. The guard's expression spoke of inner turmoil. As Dukkha walked past the gaurd's face softened and relaxed. Dukkha cringed. She turned down a narrow side street. Ahead of her, Dukkha saw a man lying in the shadows. A seeping gash ran down his leg and his face was contorted in pain. Dukkha winced as she neared him. Upon passing within an arms length of the man an expression of peace overcame the man. Dukkha plodded onward somewhat slower than before.

Dukkha pushed her mind forward feeling for what was ahead. She was hit with a wave of thoughts.  I don't see how the ground will to thaw in time for planting, a grizzled farmer thought.  Dukkha walked past him. It will work out nevertheless, thought the man with a cheerful expression on his face.  Dukkha sighed inwardly. I can't believe he was unfaithful to me, sulked a young engaged woman.  Dukkha continued onward. I guess the butcher's son has always taken fancy to me.  He has potential and would be devoted and true, the woman mused with a slight skip in her step.  Ahead of her Dukkha saw a cripple hobbling about on a crutch.  She did not need to stretch her mind to know what would come from him.  After Dukkha passed his limp lessened and he straightened out. 

And so the day continued onward. Dukkha passed many people and as she did, their suffering was alleviated and Dukkha's heart ached more and more. 

 

After selling the majority of her furrow root to an apothecary, Dukkha turned toward home.  As she trudged along the familiar snow-covered path she wrapped her arms around her waist and clutched her ribs.  She hummed an eerie tune to herself as she tried to keep from falling apart.  Despair and sorrow gripped her heart.  Her sides burned under the heat of her fingers yet frigid cold seeped up from the inside of her body.  Her eyes had gone hard and black.  A dark curtain of hair covered her eyes and shielded her soul from the world.  The pain was becoming too much to bear.  Dukkha's glossy black eyes rolled back to reveal their white underbellies.  Her knees buckled and she fell limp into the snow.  Her shriveled black heart gave a few feeble pumps before it too lost hope and stuttered to a stop.  So is the fate of the spawn of the Mind Master, Dilerium, and the Pain Bearer, Pathos.

This was actually a dream I had a few nights back. The dream played out in the eyes of Dukkha.