The fountain of youth is neither a fountain nor something that brings great youth. One may find only wisdom, pain, and age upon a sip from its bowls. It writhes like a snake within the drinker, repeatedly taking and taking, sucking the youth and optimism with every half a drop. It is neither like water nor gold but rather a black coarse sludge as thick as poisoned twine. It slithers into your brain, your heart, your soul, until the youthful glow is sucked from their marrows and all that is left is the hollowed emptied shell of age. Nothing will ever be bright and kind after the truths of the world flow through their veins. The pain of wisdom, and the loss of the light glowing youth in the eyes is taken and traded in for sunken eye sockets and pain beyond physicality, but rather mentality. It doesn’t leave you with the life and youthfulness that was there before.

What is the point to life if you will never live again; not really live at least?

It may be irony that the fountain of youth ages the one at the end of the straw, but this was their choice. They thought they could be greedy and love the world if they could live youthfully forever, but it only brings the truths that age cannot take back, the truths that are lost when losing youth.

It is not a fountain of wisdom or despair or truth. But a fountain of youth. Because you take the baggage of the world, and the fountain? Takes your youth.