Somewhere out there, there's this cursed "Death List" of names. One might call its powers 'impossible' if 'horrifying' wasn't the word more correct for it.

They say the paper itself is clear but unquestionably loathsome, and the ink on it is the color of dark, dried, blood.

You see, sometimes, a new name appears on the Death List.

It means the List has chosen a victim, and subsequently, that victim dies of the curse.

Paradoxically, every name that'll ever be on it is already written on the paper, waiting, invisible, impossible to change.

If the paper runs out, it grows more, equally detestable paper. The list is so long that no one ever managed to count the names on it.

There are only a two things we know for sure about this Death List:

The Death Lists' curse has a specific way to murder its victims. It might be drowning. It might be being impaled. It might be a high-speed impact.

No matter the circumstances, it is always the same cause. When you name appears on the Death List, well... that's it. No exceptions.

And everyone on the list has one trait in common. It might be that they're all 27 year old. It might be that they have green eyes. It might be that they're shorter than a certain height. It might be that their ring finger is longer than their index finger.

Besides that one trait, there is no other qualifier for the List. If it is green eyes, nothing else matters about who you are, what you do, or how you look.

Attempting to cheat your way out, well, that doesn't work. The list knows. There is no escape.

A new name appears.

Over time, those who have that trait in common, they might become aware of the Death List. They start seeing the pattern of victims and death.

And as they see the pattern, they would start being able to see the List itself, but only with their eyes closed.

In the dark, they see the Death List, the disgusting paper, the blood-red ink used to write the names already there, and the empty space waiting for a new name.

And as a new name appears, once every few days, they watch the news & are no longer surprised to see that name on TV.

It is said the List can only be destroyed if enough people -whose name could never be on it- believe in it, put their mind to destroying it, and then follow through with the challenges revealed to them.

It just has to be enough people that care.

But nobody actually knows if it could work, because we have never gathered enough people in opposition to the Death List to actually damage it. Over the years, small groups have caused some scorching on one side of the paper.

A new name appears.

Every person who put their mind to it would face their own challenge, that would appear to them in their mind as if a thought of their own -a suggestion of an action- vague, uncertain to work to stop this threat to others, a supposed threat that they cannot even see themselves.

Those individual challenges might be painful, or difficult, or inconvenient to those who try to destroy the Death List. They might cost wealth, or power, or safety, or influence.

The List will tempt them throughout not to give in, to keep what is theirs.

A new name appears.

Yet if enough would push through these sacrifices, the loathsome paper should scorch, unravel, and the curse would end.

No more would perish, and any name not written yet would never be written at all - people would live their lives in whatever way our normal reality sees fit.

Every time a new name has become visible, everyone who can see the Death List with their eyes closed,

when they wake up
or fall asleep
or even just as blink while walk the street

they look at the new line, and know they could be the next name. Or maybe someone they love.

Over the next few days, some of them will find that they were correct to worry.

And the days after that, others, too, will find that they were correct to worry.

And the days after that, again,

and again,

and again,

and again,

and again,

and again,

A new name appears.

This has repeated long enough that grandparents today have known of the List since childhood, because it is in the background of every conversation, of every moment of their lives.

While no one else can see the List, those that do see can't escape it even with their eyes closed

Some started obsessing over the list, trying to convince the unseeing. Some shrug of exhaustion, resigned to there being nothing they can do.

Others now live with their eyes closed, so that when a new name appears, they can try & escape fate if it is theirs.

A new name appears.

Kids today have their grandmother tell stories of the time she had her eyes closed as the Death List's ink almost wrote the name of your grandfather.

Parents can tell their children of hundreds of people that ignored them or laughed when they asked for help with the List.

Of course people didn't believe them. Who believes the fantastical story of an invisible force that just randomly kills people with one shared trait, all from the same violent curse?

And even if you acknowledge the pattern, it's not millions dying. Is it really worth the drama?

Others then, others fight.

They believe that if the world will not destroy this Death List willingly, they will have to force it somehow. Every time a name appears, they make sure it is known & felt.

They've been branded dangerous, and are met with violent or lethal opposition

This Death List? It is real.

The List is racism, on it are the names of black people, and the curse is police brutality.

And I can not stop thinking about this List, and how hard anyone would be willing to fight if this List would have their trait on it, or their family.

That's what I see now in the US. People are pleading & fighting for their lives so that those unaffected will finally help end this Death List.

They fight because they worry they might recognize the next name.

Over the next days, some will find that they were correct to worry.

A new name appears.
A new name appears.
A new name appears.

How many more names before people accept that this cannot continue? That even if you cannot see the List, the pattern is clear.

That they fight so others might finally, maybe, take action.

Before a new name appears.

---

Part of me feels desperate that I am using a horror movie plot metaphor to express some very real dangers to real people, but part of why I decided to post this is because the reality of US black lives just... maps to a horror movie plot so well. It is horrifying.

I've turned off responses here, because I just do not have the mental energy right now to argue.

If you have criticism or feedback for the thread or the wording, just let me know directly. Worst case, I'll delete the whole thing.

Tired day, so I'm blocking assholes on sight.