Flash fiction "Communications from days stranding" inspired by the cinematic masterpiece Death Stranding

Porter, you must follow every strand of lie to weave a truth complete.

The lyric excerpts featured in the flash fiction are from “BB’s Theme” by Ludvig Forssell, featuring Jenny Plant.

Dear hopeful reader,

I already wrote about what the cinematic masterpiece Death Stranding meant to me and how it affected me in one of my recent essays. There were several other pieces I wrote inspired by Hideo Kojima’s video game, which I’ll eventually share with you.

Today I’m sharing a flash fiction piece titled “Communications from days stranding,” which was also spurred by DS after finishing it and the incredible music it features. Particularly, “BB’s Theme” composed by Ludvig Forssell and sung by Jenny Plant struck a chord. It made my heart swell.

I aimed for the flash to be ambiguous yet intriguing enough for readers who haven’t played the game to be compelled to do so. And for those who finished DS to get my message, the message of the game, too. It’s a poetic summary, a call for unity, of sorts.

I meant for this to be a reflection for us on the divides that separate us from each other and how we could go back to be more united and understanding of one another. In our own ways, what feels most authentic to us, we must remake our world whole, a world with a tomorrow.

Also read: On video games, humanity, loneliness, the personal, and Death Stranding at the heart of it all

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See the sunset
The day is ending
Let that yawn out
There’s no pretending

The sun never sets here to rise again. The sky is always overcast. There is no concept of time here, except time falls and ages and kills everything in sight until it all grows back to die another time. What we wouldn’t give for a beam of light at daybreak, an orange glow at sundown, and time to tell us it’s safe to sleep again. All we have are these four crumbling walls and the few porters risking their lives bringing supplies to save ours. We’re just biding time until time bids us adieu. When can we yawn again? Can we ever? Or will we be lost to timefall, voidouts, eventual extinction?

Feel the wind rise
A dawn we’re bound to
Watch that star die
Eons without you

A dying star created life, another dying star took it away. And then a supernova exploded and brought back life and with it death. You may have seen beached things by the shore. You may have felt ghosts—if you could—with umbilicals stranded in-between. You may have witnessed your loved ones disappearing, lost forever on some beach. Or is it us, the lost ones? It’s hard to tell these days, what’s life, what’s alive, what’s living, what’s dying, what’s dead, what’s death, what’s stranding. The wind is picking up; it won’t be long until the next explosion.  

We part too soon
But in our lies
There’s a truth to find

Everyone’s a villain when // if they lie. But, near a mirror to them and what reflects is abysmal loneliness, and maybe longing for a world whole // a world before or, at least, for this pain to finally cease. Porter, you must follow every strand of lie to weave a truth complete. And you will see there are no villains here, just flawed protagonists on a mission to restore humanity // to make the ending gentler. And die trying. Porter, you already have the key—go! 

The end is new
A tomorrow we must reach forth
To be heard

Since the day you were born you were already so special, a breath of new air. You were always meant to be a porter handling cargo with care // a strand webbing a network // a bridge building a way out. But being alone for so long, losing everyone to touch you lost touch with yourself and the rare connections you’re afraid to make and keep. Let them in and let yourself out. You were always meant to be our tomorrow, Porter, don’t you see, you are the key—now, go!

We’re stranded on the beach
In our dream

Feel the lull of the gentle wind, the waves curling and breaking in tandem and tender. While the world is falling apart, in my dream, it’s fine here on our beach, with you and I, just like it’s always been. Come now, lie down here with me and feel yourself cradled, little one, our palms stranding perfectly together. Doesn’t this feel like home? Yes. Home. Come back home. Come back! Wake up!

I’ll stay with you
In your mind

I did not mean to strand you for so long, entrench in you tar visions not yours. Now you know what is real and what is not, what is salvageable and what is inevitable. What is inevitable. If I am here or there or in Arcadia or if I am at all, I am where it matters—in your mind and heart—I’ll always be, I’ll always shepherd. Take this truth, bring it home. You’ll know what to do tomorrow, come what may.  

See the sunset

What is inevitable is inevitable. What is hopeless // helpless has no hope // no help. Does it mean we stop trying to deliver, connect, rebuild, expand? There is still hope for today. Perchance an inkling for tomorrow. And as timefall falters, the clouds collapse, we await the orange sun.

The day is ending

Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months pass. We’re still here, still handling fragile cargo with care, still tethering deep strands with each other, still bridging voids and cities. Remaking a world whole, a world for tomorrow.  The day is again ending, but this is still not yet the end.

Porter out.

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You may have noticed that various video games inspire my writing. Did you also write anything inspired by a game? Please share it! Also, did you ever incorporate lyrics in any of your writing? I would love to read!

Yours hopefully,

Nadia

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