The End of Men

by Christina Sweeney-Baird

Be wary of that little voice that tries to twist one scary thing into a spiral of despair.

By the sounds of it, a stark raving lunatic who’s trying to waste the limited resources and time of this institution. Not to mention my patience. Ignore please.

ARE U KIDDING ME

There are three different ways that a vaccine against a virus can be created. Firstly, you can change the genes of the virus so that it replicates poorly. Secondly, you can destroy the genes of the virus so that it doesn’t replicate at all. Thirdly, you can use a part of the virus but not all of it, which means that it can’t replicate.

What I do know, from years of reporting, is that ignorance, incompetence and fear so often go hand in hand with government that none of us should be surprised if the institutions we thought would keep us safe would in fact be woefully inadequate in the face of a pandemic.

love is more than fireworks and declarations. It is steady, certain sureness. It is knowing that you are loved. It is knowing that you are not alone.

I have never felt so powerful. This must be what men used to feel like. My mere physical presence is enough to terrify someone into running. No wonder they used to get drunk on it.

The deal with Communism is that someone makes sure you have food and a job, in return for your freedom.

mmmmmmm not a fan

“How are you coping with grief?” She laughs, briefly. “I’m not,” and the screen goes black.

I’ve never been religious but I have to hope. I hope that somewhere, my baby is being looked after and loved and cared for.

sooooo heartbreaking 😭

The hole I dug in the garden was too small. No body is meant to go into a hole that small. He couldn’t possibly fit in there, I thought to myself, but he did. He’s so tiny. I buried him with a blanket and a letter, as though the words I have written will somehow make their way into his life after death.

💔💔💔💔

It takes everything I have not to run the short distance and scoop him into my arms.

Without my son I’m struggling to function. I’m keeping other women’s sons safe and happy and well while my own son rots in loneliness a fifteen-minute walk away.

Fear takes the promise of adulthood out of a child’s face, I find.

Many things can kill a person. People are becoming painfully aware of that fact now.

omg! very different perspective! love this switch up!

Why is my husband not dead yet? Please God, kill him.

It is not right for bad people to survive. It cannot be right.

I leave my dead husband—I am now a widow. I prefer that word to “wife.” I will sleep in Katya’s room tonight. My baby and I are safe.

queen

If I had known it would be this easy, I would have killed him months ago.

QUEEEEEN

We have seen men wage war since the dawn of time. Nobody wins the wars men fight.

“The mothers, the parents, we’re just an irritation to you.

Why not me?

“When all of this is over, come to Iceland with Toby and I will show you around the bit of coastline where we are based. It is very beautiful. We are friends now, I think, Frances. We have spoken every day for five months.”

this is so sweet 😭

Please see enclosed a message for Toby Williams from Frances Williams. Frances has been instrumental in the organization of these supplies. She is a wonderful woman.

Surely, it can’t be her.

“Bad things and good things can coexist,” Amaya says with a sad smile. “And we have to find the good where we can.”

She used to make sure you didn’t have laces or anything sharp, which was a downer, but still. I get what she was trying to do.

I’ve noticed that when people talk about “people” they say “women” now. I don’t like it. I mentioned it to a teacher at school in Sociology and she said it was just because of the majority. I didn’t think that was a very good reason to ignore the men who are left but I didn’t want to get into trouble so I didn’t push it.

he’s just a kid just a baby!

“You know, the world doesn’t have to remember you for you to matter. We were loved by those we loved. Not everyone can say that,”