The above scene is near the ending from a Russian move, “The White Tiger.”
Presumably it is Hitler sitting with Satan, and the conversation they have is very interesting. Of particular note is the ending when Hitler looks into the fire.
We are on the cusp of such EVIL again. It is already among us, our leaders, institutions, perhaps your neighbor, the local policeman, your butcher, the young schoolteacher, anywhere is possible, even likely.
Once, and only once I got a personal introduction to EVIL’s echo.
Not the actual thing, just it’s ECHO.
I re-tell the story below.
Years ago I had occasion, because of my recovery from alcoholism/drug addiction, to work with a preacher who was usually well informed. Helped him out on his little farm, now this was pre 911, and used to get into some amazing discussions with him.
Once I asked him if the leaders of this Communist "revolution" actually knew who they were working for?
He said "A few at the top do, but the rest, if they make the connection, are quickly sacrificed." Our conversation turned to "Evil."
He then, since it was the end of our court mandated time together, asked me if I had a few minutes to spare. He bid the other recovery individuals a farewell with a prayer, then told me we needed to take a short 20 minute drive. "Let's go in that fine truck of yours." he said.
After about 25 minutes into bum**** Aiken county, he directed me down a dirt road which became more of a trail.
"See why I said we should take your truck?" he said. I nodded, "Four wheel drive."
"We would have to walk the last 400 yards if we took my old F150." he said. "Probably more like 1500." I thought, not to disparage his ancient Ford.
We arrived at an old farmhouse, obviously unoccupied for decades at least. We got out and walked past the farmhouse, toward a shed in the back.
"What I want to show you is that shed." he said. I moved a couple of 60 pound or so rocks from the ground in front of the door, which wasn't latched and had but a single hinge. The "shed" was in terrible shape, part of the roof collapsed, upper wall too, no problem to see behind the door with sunlight streaming in between the still standing boards, around a large fallen tree limb, which looked even older than the structure itself.
Helping the preacher open the door I noticed it seemed to be mostly empty, part of a bench still standing, some of the usual rusty old implements you might expect, rake, hoe with broken handle, and old flat shovel, the end bent upward at a crazy angle.
"I'm not sure what I am supposed to see, sir." I spoke to him.
"It is not what you see, young man, but what you feel." he replied. "Step inside for a moment." I did, and immediately was grabbed by feelings of horror, helplessness, a stench, worse than rotting or burning flesh, and it's taste, weakness, confusion, extreme dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, pain, starting in the stomach but radiating into my chest and throat, color vision loss, and cascading darkness. Seconds later, I became aware of my position, laying on the ground, upper body out of the doorway, bright sun on my face, the preacher leaning over me.
"It's OK, you're back, you are back." He helped me pull my legs out of the shed, first, I sat up on my knees, then after a few moments became able to stand.
He got me my bottle of water out of the truck, I drank some of it, coughed, almost threw up, then felt better and poured the rest of it on my head and face. Over the next several minutes he helped me into the passenger seat of my truck, then very skillfully drove down the trail to the secondary road. We stopped at the secondary highway, and he got out walked around and handed me the keys.
"What ..." stopping my question as he put his hand up. He told me a story, about how some fellow had kidnapped and murdered numerous young women and children, in that shed, decades ago, when he was just out of seminary.
"But .." and he stopped me again. He already knew the question.
"Evil," he said, "Now you know it, how it tastes, feels, THINKS. There is no actual smell, toxin, pollution there, just the ECHO.
"We said nothing on the 25 minute ride back to his place, except when I asked him if we should go close the door and block it.
"No," he said, "I waited too long already."After we got back to his place, he said a prayer and wished me a blessed future.
"How come I never heard about that guy before?" I asked.
"You usually don't." he said, and bid me farewell.
Fascinating.
Myself, I have encountered Evil on a different plane--the plane of indifference. The police officer who violates one's civil liberties because he can, and because he just doesn't give a damn.
Bullies who prey on the smaller and weaker for no better reason than it amuses them.
Teachers who look the other way because they'd rather not deal with the parents.
Evil comes into this world in many forms. Forms of violence. Forms of destruction. Forms of apathy.
Many forms. Yet all Evil.
Great post. I visualized it as I read.