Post by arieona on Jul 7, 2006 20:20:42 GMT -5
It was a clear day. A gentle breeze blew over a tall red hill as a large group of the most powerful rulers was gathered around a single man, who stood high on an elaborate stage, and in front of a podium. They were waiting for the final word to validate their rumors.
“Do you suppose it could really be true?” whispered an elderly woman to a man of equal age. The man shrugged as he looked back at her, his expression full of doubt. His hair was grey and unkempt, and his attire was nothing more than average, but he carried the air of great importance.
“Who’s to say, one way or another?” he replied gruffly, “I don’t believe for a single moment that, after so many years, the Grand Ruler would have any reason to start some sort of wacky contest.”
“Well then, why are you even here?” asked the woman becoming very flustered. The man, however, simply stared ahead with out another word to the woman.
A small hover car glided towards the stage, the red grass quickly parted beneath it, as if quickly bowing at its presence. The car came to a slow stop in front of the podium. A soft hiss could be heard as two doors lifted open. Nothing more than a single computer disk lay inside. The man slowly walked to the car and stepped inside. He reached for the disk, picked it up and then quickly returned to the podium. He fumbled for a moment before inserting the disk into the slot on the podium; words began to flash before his eyes, but then, as quickly as the words had begun, they stopped. The man turned his gaze to the crowd. “It appears that the Grand Ruler wishes to speak with whomever here will greet him and receive their reward.” He said very quickly, almost stumbling over his own words. He paused for a moment, “He is waiting for anyone who wishes to join him beyond the Unknown Passage.” He finished, his voice trailing off into silence. Where upon an uncomfortable quiet had fallen upon the crowd.
“Just like I said, wacky.” said the gruff old man, his loudness sharply contrasting everyone else’s reactions. He turned and walked to his own hover car, as he muttered to himself, “To the Unknown Passage, no one would ever go through that!” He looked down at a young woman who was leaning against his car. “You should be glad you waited here, Mariah. That meeting was nothing but nonsense!” said the man. Mariah’s thick, black hair was pulled back; her eyes were a dark blue. A small, brown dog sat at her side, his tail bobbing back and forth as his tongue was hung lazily out of his mouth.
“Why do you say that, James?” Mariah asked softly. She spoke his name with honor. She had been left with James at a very young age. Neither James nor Mariah knew anything about her parents. James had raised Mariah and in turn she helped him in anyway she could, from something as important as giving her opinion in governing, or as simple as bringing water.
“That high falutin’ Grand Ruler, wants someone to meet him beyond the Unknown Passage. He doesn’t even seem to care who comes. It’s just an open invitation. You could get up and go for all he cares!” As James spoke Mariah began to stroke the dog’s head.
“Could I?” she asked, now sounding very intrigued. James looked at Mariah, an expression of utter shook was plastered across his face, and for almost the very first time in his long life he was at a loss for words.
“If that is something you really want.” He said slowly, after a long silence. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, stiff card. “Use my hover car.” He said as he thrust the card towards her.
“Thank you, for everything.” said Mariah, as she walked towards the car. She wanted to embrace him, if this was to be that last time they would meet, but she thought better of it.
“Take little ol’ Spot with you too.” said James as he lifted the brown dog into Mariah’s arms.
“He’s name is Speck.” Mariah attempted to correct, but James had already started back to his home. Mariah lifted her gaze to the sky, “North, that’s the way.” She said with a smile to Speck as she rubbed his ears. Everyone feared the Unknown Passage. So, to avoid it, they all knew exactly where it was.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I was you.” said a voice. Mariah jumped slightly, not hearing anyone approach her. The voice belonged to a boy only a little older than her. It seemed almost as if he had appeared like a mist. His hair was unnaturally white, and his eyes escaped Mariah’s view. A tiny snake had appeared at Mariah’s feet and bit hard into her ankle, but she did not notice. The snake slithered to the boys shoulder, and like a mist the two disappeared.
Mariah entered the car and began her journey. After nearly an hour of driving north, she saw a giant worm hole, and slowly let the car be sucked inside. The car began to thrash, uncontrollably. Mariah tried to react, but she could not move, the unknown venom had taken affect and she fell asleep. Speck barked loudly, trying to wake her, but it was to no avail.
Mariah awoke in a large palace, decorated with gold trim everywhere she could see. A tall man stood rigid with a large, gold crown, embedded with jewels, atop his head. His hair was jet black and he had very dark blue eyes. The white haired boy stood next to him, “I entered your palace first, Grand Ruler. Therefore you must give the reward to me.” he declared boldly to the man.
“You came only on this young girl’s skirt tail.” said the man as he walked to Mariah. “For if she had not first braved the unknown, you could have never come. That is something only my true heir could have done.” The man knelt down to Mariah’s level. He slowly removed his crown and handed it to Mariah. Speck began to bark joyfully as he jumped to Mariah and licked her face. “Your reward, my brave daughter.” The man looked into Mariah’s eyes and smiled. His smile seemed rusty and unused. The smile lightened his face and his entire being was at peace.
“Do you suppose it could really be true?” whispered an elderly woman to a man of equal age. The man shrugged as he looked back at her, his expression full of doubt. His hair was grey and unkempt, and his attire was nothing more than average, but he carried the air of great importance.
“Who’s to say, one way or another?” he replied gruffly, “I don’t believe for a single moment that, after so many years, the Grand Ruler would have any reason to start some sort of wacky contest.”
“Well then, why are you even here?” asked the woman becoming very flustered. The man, however, simply stared ahead with out another word to the woman.
A small hover car glided towards the stage, the red grass quickly parted beneath it, as if quickly bowing at its presence. The car came to a slow stop in front of the podium. A soft hiss could be heard as two doors lifted open. Nothing more than a single computer disk lay inside. The man slowly walked to the car and stepped inside. He reached for the disk, picked it up and then quickly returned to the podium. He fumbled for a moment before inserting the disk into the slot on the podium; words began to flash before his eyes, but then, as quickly as the words had begun, they stopped. The man turned his gaze to the crowd. “It appears that the Grand Ruler wishes to speak with whomever here will greet him and receive their reward.” He said very quickly, almost stumbling over his own words. He paused for a moment, “He is waiting for anyone who wishes to join him beyond the Unknown Passage.” He finished, his voice trailing off into silence. Where upon an uncomfortable quiet had fallen upon the crowd.
“Just like I said, wacky.” said the gruff old man, his loudness sharply contrasting everyone else’s reactions. He turned and walked to his own hover car, as he muttered to himself, “To the Unknown Passage, no one would ever go through that!” He looked down at a young woman who was leaning against his car. “You should be glad you waited here, Mariah. That meeting was nothing but nonsense!” said the man. Mariah’s thick, black hair was pulled back; her eyes were a dark blue. A small, brown dog sat at her side, his tail bobbing back and forth as his tongue was hung lazily out of his mouth.
“Why do you say that, James?” Mariah asked softly. She spoke his name with honor. She had been left with James at a very young age. Neither James nor Mariah knew anything about her parents. James had raised Mariah and in turn she helped him in anyway she could, from something as important as giving her opinion in governing, or as simple as bringing water.
“That high falutin’ Grand Ruler, wants someone to meet him beyond the Unknown Passage. He doesn’t even seem to care who comes. It’s just an open invitation. You could get up and go for all he cares!” As James spoke Mariah began to stroke the dog’s head.
“Could I?” she asked, now sounding very intrigued. James looked at Mariah, an expression of utter shook was plastered across his face, and for almost the very first time in his long life he was at a loss for words.
“If that is something you really want.” He said slowly, after a long silence. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, stiff card. “Use my hover car.” He said as he thrust the card towards her.
“Thank you, for everything.” said Mariah, as she walked towards the car. She wanted to embrace him, if this was to be that last time they would meet, but she thought better of it.
“Take little ol’ Spot with you too.” said James as he lifted the brown dog into Mariah’s arms.
“He’s name is Speck.” Mariah attempted to correct, but James had already started back to his home. Mariah lifted her gaze to the sky, “North, that’s the way.” She said with a smile to Speck as she rubbed his ears. Everyone feared the Unknown Passage. So, to avoid it, they all knew exactly where it was.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I was you.” said a voice. Mariah jumped slightly, not hearing anyone approach her. The voice belonged to a boy only a little older than her. It seemed almost as if he had appeared like a mist. His hair was unnaturally white, and his eyes escaped Mariah’s view. A tiny snake had appeared at Mariah’s feet and bit hard into her ankle, but she did not notice. The snake slithered to the boys shoulder, and like a mist the two disappeared.
Mariah entered the car and began her journey. After nearly an hour of driving north, she saw a giant worm hole, and slowly let the car be sucked inside. The car began to thrash, uncontrollably. Mariah tried to react, but she could not move, the unknown venom had taken affect and she fell asleep. Speck barked loudly, trying to wake her, but it was to no avail.
Mariah awoke in a large palace, decorated with gold trim everywhere she could see. A tall man stood rigid with a large, gold crown, embedded with jewels, atop his head. His hair was jet black and he had very dark blue eyes. The white haired boy stood next to him, “I entered your palace first, Grand Ruler. Therefore you must give the reward to me.” he declared boldly to the man.
“You came only on this young girl’s skirt tail.” said the man as he walked to Mariah. “For if she had not first braved the unknown, you could have never come. That is something only my true heir could have done.” The man knelt down to Mariah’s level. He slowly removed his crown and handed it to Mariah. Speck began to bark joyfully as he jumped to Mariah and licked her face. “Your reward, my brave daughter.” The man looked into Mariah’s eyes and smiled. His smile seemed rusty and unused. The smile lightened his face and his entire being was at peace.
