9
Sep
Life was a strange beast here, for it ebbed and flowed with the tides of the moon. In the morning, all creatures would die, and in the afternoon, find themselves revived as they once were. Even those that had been consumed as prey woke up once more in their homes.
The moon was a cruel mistress, for it did not remove the memories of their deaths. Every day, another death would be added to a long litany of memory, and so creatures became warped and twisted things, their memories consumed by pain. Some sought suicide as a way out, thinking that if they killed themselves, they would be well and truly dead. Alas, that was not to be, and so they grew despondent, dying but never dead.
Evolution was a slow and stunted thing on a world where every creature died at six hour intervals, but progress was made, and eventually the creatures decided that they must crack the moon, must sweep their cruel mistress from the sky. Many years passed in frustration and failure, as despair overwhelmed the creatures and anguish caused them to destroy their own experiments. But all things come with the passing of time, and a weapon was created that could crack the great devil in the sky.
It was used, and low and behold the demon of the skies split apart in a great explosion. The moon swept across her children one last time, and cursed them with ash and fire and destruction that lasted for many aeons, and when it was done, the creatures rejoiced and danced and sung. A great celebration was held, and all manner of joyous speeches were proclaimed.
That evening, as the sun swept out of the sky, all creatures died, to wake with the rising of the fiery globe.
Comments
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Scath on 09.09.2010
I like. Is it a bad thing that I giggled at the ending? =)
The Four Part Land on 09.09.2010
It doesn’t say much for your humanity, no.
Scath on 09.11.2010
It’s just like us humans. We think there’s a problem, try to play god over it, only to be faced with one that’s just as bad or worse.
At least, *we* think so. Nature may have other ideas. =P
DJ Young on 09.09.2010
There is something about the endless circle that is certainly cruel and unforgiving – yet (like the moon) so remote, cold, untouchable that in order to get through it, we have to let go of feeling. Constant loss makes this almost impossible.
I like what you’ve done here, the relentlessness of ‘evolution,’ the hopelessness of the beast. A perfect little thing no one escapes.
The Four Part Land on 09.10.2010
It struck me as the perfect ending, that after all their efforts and years of work, the creatures started back at square one, that it was all for nothing. A fairly Greek view of the world, I suppose.
Having it be something ‘real’ yet horribly remote made it just that little bit better.
Marisa Birns on 09.10.2010
I remember shuddering in horror when I first read the Greek mythology of Prometheus and how Zeus punished him for bringing fire to mankind by having him bound to a rock while a great eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day.
This vignette brings the same feeling.
The Four Part Land on 09.10.2010
I was thinking a little more of Sisyphus. He doesn’t die every day, but his task can never be completed, that each time he tries, he fails just when he thinks he has finally reached success. Call it ‘the illusion of hope’, I suppose. A carrot forever dangled just out of reach.
Deanna Schrayer on 09.10.2010
As poignant as this is, there is a lovely poetic feel to it. Very well written.
Cathryn Louis on 09.10.2010
Inability of the creatures to escape their destiny – poetic and very poignant.
Anthony on 09.10.2010
Somethings are just meant to be no matter hard hard you struggles against them.
Linda on 09.10.2010
Great parable feel to this, and poetic. Peace…
Love the sepia look of your blog, btw.
The Four Part Land on 09.10.2010
It wasn’t meant as a parable or a moral tale, although reading it again afterward, and seeing the gist of many of the comments, it does seem to come off with that slant.
I suppose it was more intended as how Scath took it – nature playing a sick joke on its creation. Like somebody up there just has the world’s most vicious sense of humour. After all, the sun never had anything to do with their deaths until they cracked the moon apart.
I’m rather fond of the blog/website look myself. It’s a free WP theme called Gods and Monsters. Just fit my idea of a fantasy website perfectly.
A Bruno III on 09.11.2010
I thought your story was very well done and original.
Great work.
Gracie on 09.11.2010
I love this story. There’s a lot of depth here, many layers of meaning, just like a good poem.
We never know as much as we think we do, do we.
Great story.
Alison Wells on 09.12.2010
A fabulous concept and as usual beautifully told. The idea touches something primordial and I can feel the story resonating with me at a physical level and know it will continue to do so. The moon cycles are a physical reality but have a mystical feeling. Here you have given them a sinister function. The way the sun begins to have an impact also reflects how we never know how our interference with nature will work out. Great story.
Crystal on 09.12.2010
That is definitely a cruel twist, but then, that is how life plays it it seems. Very, very beautifully written and it’s very melodic in its tone.
Laurita Miller on 09.13.2010
Poignant. Stark. A really great piece. I also thought of Sisyphus at the end.
Kari Fay on 09.13.2010
Ah, cruel nature indeed. I wonder, if they destroyed the sun would theyl find their lives and deaths tied up with another star?
The Four Part Land on 09.13.2010
Thanks to all for the kind comments.
@Kari Yes, if the sun was destroyed (somehow), I think some other celestial object would take over. Perhaps Mars?
@Alison That comment makes me wonder how much the dying is from the moon or the sun, and how much is generated from within ourselves. Is it the creatures that die with the cycles, or the celestial bodies that kill with their cycles. I wonder, and I don’t have an answer.
@Laurita There’s also a little hint of H.G. Wells. In his ‘The Time Machine’, the moon is cracked and destroyed.
@Crystal Cruel twists seem to be my specialty. I’m not very good at the happy endings thing. Much happier seeing nature screwing over some poor bugger.
@Gracie Ever heard of the ‘Horse Argument’? It’s political philosophy by the Southern Agrarians, and it basically says that no matter how much science measures and learns and understands, it cannot measure the soul. The creature in question is a horse, hence the name.
@Al Thanks, and glad to see you stopping by.