In a world stricken by a pandemic that has left millions sick, displaced and dead, life has become a conundrum. As the vacillation between life and death continues, the clock keeps ticking as the merchants of death fleece and exploit desperate families looking to save their loved ones.

It is ironic that life and death have always remained a tradeable commodity since the proliferation of healthcare services and hospitals. Due to this pandemic, the sham we have believed ourselves to be living in the guise of the citadel of faith is all illusionary. Deep within, despite all the faith and belief, we advocate, human avarice remains a distinct reality that we cannot avoid.

We always talk about optimism and hope, to remain positive and have faith in the divine but for what? As people struck by the virus end up hospitalized fighting with life and death, those at the forefront of this battle, doctors, nurses, ward boys and all other medical staff who are putting their lives in danger.

It is heart-wrenching to see the family of patients running from pillar to post to arrange life-saving medications and injections to save their lives. This is where the merchants of death masked as the saviours of humanity appear with a magic wand promising the availability of all those medications those families are seeking. They act angelic in the disguise of a devil hoping to deliver life in exchange for tons of cash to line their pockets.

Hoarding and black marketing have existed since aeons, there is no doubt about it. However, these merchants of death have no qualms in exploiting the desperation and misery of those families by which they would somehow be able to save the life of their loved ones.They wield influence and power and are the fortune holders who hold the elixir of life for those patients who need those life-saving medications or injections for their very survival.

Everything sells, the desperation of families compels them to go to any length to act and do anything they can. In such situations, morality or ethics get thrown out of the window, humanity in its very essence becomes folklore. We talk about deeds, goodness, kindness and empathy but amid this pandemic that has swept away everyone across the globe all these aforementioned things are just mere formalities. There is not an instant where humans will not resort to such practices and try to make the most out of such situations.

The sadistic tendencies of such souls are not surprising. They possess no fear of life or death, their greed fuels their desire and lust for money. Life is like a pendulum; it must stop swinging at some point in time. Life and death indeed are the domain of the divine and us mere mortals can just cease to exist at a snap. However, such things do not instil fear in the merchants of death, but such individuals are soulless and beyond reasoning. Even at the risk of being eternally damned, they would much akin to the Pharaohs of Egypt take their earthly belongings with them to the next world.

How ironic that these merchants of death are not only prosperous but are able to live and sleep peacefully in the wake of this exploitation. For them, life and death are like a roulette table where they keep gambling till they win or lose. But in existential circumstances, they are the ones who hold total command and control which allows them to execute their victory in whatever direction they deem feasible. Opportunities have arisen in the most unlikely of circumstances and the merchants of death have been activated to enrich themselves.

As convoluted, it may seem, but the only way to thrive in the real world, the world of sin is to be a ruthless sinner than your enemy. This is the mantra followed by the merchants of death, who defy all decencies to act in this in manner. They are no less than auctioneers who would sell anything to the highest bidder without having an inch of remorse or shame. Their actions as pretentious they seem are borne out of desperation to maximize exploitation and miseries of others.

As for those in agony and facing death at the hands of this pandemic, prayers are the only solace for families to hope God provides a miracle. As for the merchants of death, their business will thrive irrespective of the situation, their sins and road to perdition will be for God to decide.