The 51st Short Story Competition - Topic - ORIGINS OF CREATION
I had two entries.
The Journey
“Earth, Water, Fire and Blood”
The chant was faint, but I could feel it with each beat of my heart. I wiped my sweaty palms against my shirt as I watched my mother leading the others in the chant. Her voice had changed it sounded as if she had gone hoarse, but that was not why. The small circular room was packed with men and women wearing only gray cloaks of a threadbare material. The only light came from the center of the room from within a large round vessel. My mother continued her chant as she circled the prism of light coming from within the container. The aura within had to be the most perfect hues of any color I had seen before.
My mother’s vacant eyes looked at me suddenly from her focus on the light. The chanting ceased leaving a numb ringing in my ears. I tried to ignore the silence, but it was unbearable as it painfully stabbed at my hearing. That look in her eyes terrified me. It was the guardian Spirits that had her, but that didn’t soothe me. She looked at me curiously. I tried to ignore the piercing gaze turning my view back to the dirt covered floor trying to think of something else.
I heard a slap of her hand against the vessel. I clinched my teeth at the pain the sound gave me. I wanted to be unnoticeable but knowing the Spirit had looked at me I knew there was little hope of being lost in the crowd.
“Kyna,” the deep voice came soft and firm from my mother’s lips.
I looked up with panic and started stabbing my forefingers with my thumb nails then began licking my parched lips. It was so hot now with everyone so close. I glanced at the girl sitting next to me but her eyes were down and fixed. She was trying to catch her breath, but I couldn’t understand what had made her so breathless. It seemed that everyone was breathless, except me.
“Kyna.” The voice repeated. I swallowed back my panic as I met with the vacant eyes staring across the light at me. The lighted gave her features and eerie cast. “Stand.”
Everything within me wanted to fight the command. Not that I wanted to disobey my mother or the Spirits that possessed her, but what it meant. The girl next to me snapped from her hypnosis and looked at me with surprise. She tore her gaze from me to look at my mother, what she was thinking I didn’t know, but she was on her feet before I could get to mine. The Spirit within my mother growled ferociously and the sound ripped the flesh from her bones. The wretched screaming of her agony was once more replaced by silence.
Without a second thought I was standing. I brushed my sweaty palm against the thin material of my robe. I kept my eyes focused on the light from within the container as the Spirit within my mother began to scrutinize me. I laced my fingers together trying to keep myself from fidgeting as she walked around me. She stopped in front of me and her vacant eyes widened with the detached smile. I didn’t know what that meant. I had never been allowed to participate until now.
Mother turned her back to me as a hand pressed against my back pushing me forward. I stumbled slightly but no one noticed or cared. I looked into the vessel filled with light and blinked with surprise. It was filled with a mass amount of colorful orbs. Nothing like I had ever seen before. I sight was drawn into the light as the different hues revealed another colorful detail. I kept my hands firmly laced together but everything within me was being pulled to pluck up an orb.
“Take a Journey.” The deep voice said.
I frowned as I glanced up at my mother. Her eyes were looking at the light with a small fascinated smile. I could see some of her own features again, undistorted by the light and the presence of the Spirit within her. I took a deep breath but didn’t move.
“Kyna,” my mother’s voice was now her own. She said my name so softly that I wasn’t sure if I had imagined it until she spoke again. “Take one, my dear, the Journey is yours.”
“I don’t understand.” I whispered and I heard murmurs behind me.
The eyes of my mother looked at me, but I could still see the Spirit there waiting to take control. She held out her hand and in the center of her palm was a perfect circular shape. She closed her hand around it letting out a slow breath. “The Journey you choose will be your life.” She glanced back into the vessel. “Choose for good.”
I looked at all the different colors wondering what each one meant. I wanted to refuse, but if I did I knew it would mean my death. I looked down at my hands wondering which hand I should use. Then I began to wonder if it was going to hurt. I glanced at my mother again, but her eyes were replaced by the Spirit’s gaze once more.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to be distracted by the colors or not choose correctly. I felt to ‘choose for good’ I had to use my heart. As I submerged my hand into the light of orbs I was surprised by the soft and spongy feel they had to them. I had expected them to be hard. I pushed the surprise from my mind as my hand swirled the mixture of various sized orbs. I felt something different from each one I touched. I slowly felt through them.
I heard a soft voice chanting in the distance. The voice was calm and peaceful it was innocent and pure. I wrapped my fingers around and orb that I felt instantly connected to. As I pulled the sphere from the others I became aware that it was my voice I had heard. I was chanting the words that I had heard moment before, but there was more. I added something.
Slowly I opened my eyes and looked at my mother and the Spirit within her. I slowly turned my gaze toward my hand and opened my hand like a flower in bloom. The blue sphere shimmered in my palm it was beautiful, and mysterious. I watched curiously as it began to levitate over my palm.
“Good,” the spirit said, “This is a good Journey Kyna. Your father is proud.”
I swallowed back my emotions looking at my mother. I suddenly wished my father was there and not in the Great Beyond. “W-what am I to do now?”
“Enjoy your Journey, Kyna, nurture it. It belongs to you.”
“I don’t understand.” I breathed fighting the threat of tears. “What have I done?”
“This is your world, Kyna, do with it what you want. You are the Creator of this place, you chose the Journey now choose how to make it live.” Her words were simple but the meaning and responsibility given to me was more than I expected.
“Can I live here?” I breathed looking back at it in disbelief and wonder.
“Of course, Kyna, but it is heart breaking to see those that you create curse you for their choices or things that you do not control.” The spirit warned. “It is your Journey to do with as you please, but you must make it live.”
I gave a jerky nod as I wrapped my fingers around it gently. “So how do I make it live?”
“Breathe Life,” came the quiet reply from the orb.
It was so simple I didn’t know why I was confused. Without hesitation I knew what I was to do. I held the orb to my mouth and whispered, “I give you Light and Life.”
“Earth, Water, Fire and Blood”
The chant was faint, but I could feel it with each beat of my heart. I wiped my sweaty palms against my shirt as I watched my mother leading the others in the chant. Her voice had changed it sounded as if she had gone hoarse, but that was not why. The small circular room was packed with men and women wearing only gray cloaks of a threadbare material. The only light came from the center of the room from within a large round vessel. My mother continued her chant as she circled the prism of light coming from within the container. The aura within had to be the most perfect hues of any color I had seen before.
My mother’s vacant eyes looked at me suddenly from her focus on the light. The chanting ceased leaving a numb ringing in my ears. I tried to ignore the silence, but it was unbearable as it painfully stabbed at my hearing. That look in her eyes terrified me. It was the guardian Spirits that had her, but that didn’t soothe me. She looked at me curiously. I tried to ignore the piercing gaze turning my view back to the dirt covered floor trying to think of something else.
I heard a slap of her hand against the vessel. I clinched my teeth at the pain the sound gave me. I wanted to be unnoticeable but knowing the Spirit had looked at me I knew there was little hope of being lost in the crowd.
“Kyna,” the deep voice came soft and firm from my mother’s lips.
I looked up with panic and started stabbing my forefingers with my thumb nails then began licking my parched lips. It was so hot now with everyone so close. I glanced at the girl sitting next to me but her eyes were down and fixed. She was trying to catch her breath, but I couldn’t understand what had made her so breathless. It seemed that everyone was breathless, except me.
“Kyna.” The voice repeated. I swallowed back my panic as I met with the vacant eyes staring across the light at me. The lighted gave her features and eerie cast. “Stand.”
Everything within me wanted to fight the command. Not that I wanted to disobey my mother or the Spirits that possessed her, but what it meant. The girl next to me snapped from her hypnosis and looked at me with surprise. She tore her gaze from me to look at my mother, what she was thinking I didn’t know, but she was on her feet before I could get to mine. The Spirit within my mother growled ferociously and the sound ripped the flesh from her bones. The wretched screaming of her agony was once more replaced by silence.
Without a second thought I was standing. I brushed my sweaty palm against the thin material of my robe. I kept my eyes focused on the light from within the container as the Spirit within my mother began to scrutinize me. I laced my fingers together trying to keep myself from fidgeting as she walked around me. She stopped in front of me and her vacant eyes widened with the detached smile. I didn’t know what that meant. I had never been allowed to participate until now.
Mother turned her back to me as a hand pressed against my back pushing me forward. I stumbled slightly but no one noticed or cared. I looked into the vessel filled with light and blinked with surprise. It was filled with a mass amount of colorful orbs. Nothing like I had ever seen before. I sight was drawn into the light as the different hues revealed another colorful detail. I kept my hands firmly laced together but everything within me was being pulled to pluck up an orb.
“Take a Journey.” The deep voice said.
I frowned as I glanced up at my mother. Her eyes were looking at the light with a small fascinated smile. I could see some of her own features again, undistorted by the light and the presence of the Spirit within her. I took a deep breath but didn’t move.
“Kyna,” my mother’s voice was now her own. She said my name so softly that I wasn’t sure if I had imagined it until she spoke again. “Take one, my dear, the Journey is yours.”
“I don’t understand.” I whispered and I heard murmurs behind me.
The eyes of my mother looked at me, but I could still see the Spirit there waiting to take control. She held out her hand and in the center of her palm was a perfect circular shape. She closed her hand around it letting out a slow breath. “The Journey you choose will be your life.” She glanced back into the vessel. “Choose for good.”
I looked at all the different colors wondering what each one meant. I wanted to refuse, but if I did I knew it would mean my death. I looked down at my hands wondering which hand I should use. Then I began to wonder if it was going to hurt. I glanced at my mother again, but her eyes were replaced by the Spirit’s gaze once more.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to be distracted by the colors or not choose correctly. I felt to ‘choose for good’ I had to use my heart. As I submerged my hand into the light of orbs I was surprised by the soft and spongy feel they had to them. I had expected them to be hard. I pushed the surprise from my mind as my hand swirled the mixture of various sized orbs. I felt something different from each one I touched. I slowly felt through them.
I heard a soft voice chanting in the distance. The voice was calm and peaceful it was innocent and pure. I wrapped my fingers around and orb that I felt instantly connected to. As I pulled the sphere from the others I became aware that it was my voice I had heard. I was chanting the words that I had heard moment before, but there was more. I added something.
Slowly I opened my eyes and looked at my mother and the Spirit within her. I slowly turned my gaze toward my hand and opened my hand like a flower in bloom. The blue sphere shimmered in my palm it was beautiful, and mysterious. I watched curiously as it began to levitate over my palm.
“Good,” the spirit said, “This is a good Journey Kyna. Your father is proud.”
I swallowed back my emotions looking at my mother. I suddenly wished my father was there and not in the Great Beyond. “W-what am I to do now?”
“Enjoy your Journey, Kyna, nurture it. It belongs to you.”
“I don’t understand.” I breathed fighting the threat of tears. “What have I done?”
“This is your world, Kyna, do with it what you want. You are the Creator of this place, you chose the Journey now choose how to make it live.” Her words were simple but the meaning and responsibility given to me was more than I expected.
“Can I live here?” I breathed looking back at it in disbelief and wonder.
“Of course, Kyna, but it is heart breaking to see those that you create curse you for their choices or things that you do not control.” The spirit warned. “It is your Journey to do with as you please, but you must make it live.”
I gave a jerky nod as I wrapped my fingers around it gently. “So how do I make it live?”
“Breathe Life,” came the quiet reply from the orb.
It was so simple I didn’t know why I was confused. Without hesitation I knew what I was to do. I held the orb to my mouth and whispered, “I give you Light and Life.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Discovery
The lab was anything but quiet. It was empty, and that was the way she liked it. She peered out the window into the dark vastness of space. She was anxiously watching the glimmering gases in the distance. She glanced down at her tablet and tapped a few notes. The music she had playing was eclectic, and most everyone found annoying. Another reason she liked being alone in the lab. It was her special time.
No one really understood her need to be alone. Her family had always teased her about ‘star gazing’. She closed her tablet and let out a slow breath as she turned away from her observation. She clutched the tablet to her chest wishing she could have shown her parents what she had discovered and what she had been working on.
The music went silent and the inner lights flickered on. She slowly released her grip and looked toward the door. She frowned at one of the other scientists walking in. He was scratching the back of his head as a yawn consumed his face. He smacked his lips as he glanced at a nearby screen with a frown. His steps slowed until he was stopped in front of the terminal. He began quickly tapping on the keys and glaring at the screen.
She rolled her eyes thinking he looked more like lab assistant than a man holding four doctorate degrees in Physics, Biology, Geochemistry, and Astronomy. His lab coat was wrinkled as usual, and there was a jelly-stain on his lapel (no telling how old that was). She wondered if he ever washed it.
“Doctor Brighten what are you doing here so early?” she muttered with frustration knowing he was going to be a distraction.
“Good morning, Mags,” he smiled brightly pulling on his wrinkled lab coat and standing a little straighter. “You know you can call me by my given name.”
She let out a frustrated breath. “I’d rather not, Doctor Brighten.”
“Maggie come on…” he groaned as he glanced once more at the screen. “I…” he frowned and looked up past her. He shook his head as he looked back at the screen then began typing rapidly on the keyboard. He muttered something unintelligent then looked at her with a curious frown. “Did you see this?” he tapped the screen but kept his eyes locked on her.
“Seen what, Doctor Brighten?” She grumbled as she walked toward him. “If you try anything I will hurt you.” She warned as she clutched the tablet tightly to her chest.
“Maggie that hurt, really, you have been avoiding me for the last week. I don’t know what I did. Will you tell me?” He felt frustrated that she ignored him. Her focus was looking at the screen where he was pointing. “Mags? Why did you say that?”
“I would have said it to Doctor Cooper if he were here.” She muttered as her cheeks flushed unable to concentrate on the information he was sharing. She wanted nothing more that to rely on her emotions, but she had to be stronger than that.
He snorted his distaste. “You wouldn’t say anything like that to him, Mags. All the women ache for him to ‘try something’.” He muttered sarcastically.
She smacked him on the side of the head as she glared at him. “Shove it Josh.” She spat.
He rubbed his temple and watched her move back to the window to observe her treasured gassy haze. “Why is it the only time you use my name is when you are angry with me or intimate with me?”
She spun on her heel and marched toward him. Anger flaring in her dark eyes and her breath was rapid and quick. “I’m pregnant Josh," she blurted and flushed. "How’s that, Doctor Brighten?" her voice went soft instantly. "And if Doctor Cooper finds out I’m gone.” She looked over her shoulder at the various colors brightening the darkness. She bit her lip fighting her emotions. “I didn’t mean to tell you that way, Josh.” She said gently as she clutched the tablet. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry that you told me, or sorry that your…your…” he sagged against the console and looked at her with surprise. “Really?”
She glared at him as her heart tore into a thousand pieces. She loved him with every part of her being, and suddenly felt betrayed he didn’t seem to really care about what happened. She had been his lover for several months. She wondered if he ever knew she had never given herself to anyone but him.
No one had made her feel beautiful the way he did. She thought it couldn’t happen, they were safe, but it still happened. In the manner she told him, and his reaction was just another mistake she made.
“Don’t worry, I will take care of it.” She muttered as she turned her back on him and looked at the tablet fighting her tears. She felt alone and rejected.
She was startled when he grabbed her and spun her around to face him. Pure rage burned in his gray eyes. She blinked with surprise. She did not expect his glare nor the fierce grip he still had on her arm.
“Don’t you think we should talk about this before you go killing my child?” he snapped.
“What?” She looked at him with confusion.
“You said ‘take care of it’. I don’t believe in that Mags, I never have, and I won’t let you.” He shook her a little and she jerked her arm free.
“Are you crazy!” she snarled. “Why would you think that? You know me, Josh. You know me better than anyone else.” She pressed her palm against her flat stomach. “I only meant that I wouldn’t burden you—”
“Mags you carry my child.” His gray eyes pleaded with her to understand. “Do you know how important that is?” he let out a slow breath. “We created a child, in love, not because we got some licenses, or had a good day at the lab…well we did have a—…” he shook his head. “You know what I mean, there was no intervention, no lines, or loans, no segregate just natural, just as it was meant to be. The way it was done in the forgotten time.”
She flushed slightly and turned her back on him. “I didn’t know you felt that way.” She whispered as she looked at her discovery. “Josh I’m sorry I didn’t know how to tell you. Most men would run and hide.”
“But I love you Mags,” he set his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve loved you since we were children running around on this ship.” He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist pressing his palms firmly against her stomach. “This whole time I thought we were waiting for a new creation in this forming solar system.” He whispered softly. “Mags we created something so awe inspiring, beautiful and perfect.”
She turned slowly within his embrace and gave him a crooked smile. “Josh you make gas sound so romantic.” She framed his face and pressed a kiss against his lips. “Will you do me a favor?” She whispered.
“Anything, Maggie, you are my goddess of life.”
She frowned at him. “That was a bit much, Doctor Brighten.”
His eyes sparkled with his smile. “I’m sorry Mags, but —”
She pressed a finger against his lips. Gently she pulled on the lapel with the jelly-stain. “Josh do you think—”
“Maggie!” he gasped and turned her around quickly.
In a flash of bright brilliant colors the darkness of space was lit with the birth of a new solar system. The two had arms around each other’s waist watching in complete awe something so rare. They were part of creation in two very different and very beautiful ways. There was nothing that would change the magic of that moment in their lives.
The lab was anything but quiet. It was empty, and that was the way she liked it. She peered out the window into the dark vastness of space. She was anxiously watching the glimmering gases in the distance. She glanced down at her tablet and tapped a few notes. The music she had playing was eclectic, and most everyone found annoying. Another reason she liked being alone in the lab. It was her special time.
No one really understood her need to be alone. Her family had always teased her about ‘star gazing’. She closed her tablet and let out a slow breath as she turned away from her observation. She clutched the tablet to her chest wishing she could have shown her parents what she had discovered and what she had been working on.
The music went silent and the inner lights flickered on. She slowly released her grip and looked toward the door. She frowned at one of the other scientists walking in. He was scratching the back of his head as a yawn consumed his face. He smacked his lips as he glanced at a nearby screen with a frown. His steps slowed until he was stopped in front of the terminal. He began quickly tapping on the keys and glaring at the screen.
She rolled her eyes thinking he looked more like lab assistant than a man holding four doctorate degrees in Physics, Biology, Geochemistry, and Astronomy. His lab coat was wrinkled as usual, and there was a jelly-stain on his lapel (no telling how old that was). She wondered if he ever washed it.
“Doctor Brighten what are you doing here so early?” she muttered with frustration knowing he was going to be a distraction.
“Good morning, Mags,” he smiled brightly pulling on his wrinkled lab coat and standing a little straighter. “You know you can call me by my given name.”
She let out a frustrated breath. “I’d rather not, Doctor Brighten.”
“Maggie come on…” he groaned as he glanced once more at the screen. “I…” he frowned and looked up past her. He shook his head as he looked back at the screen then began typing rapidly on the keyboard. He muttered something unintelligent then looked at her with a curious frown. “Did you see this?” he tapped the screen but kept his eyes locked on her.
“Seen what, Doctor Brighten?” She grumbled as she walked toward him. “If you try anything I will hurt you.” She warned as she clutched the tablet tightly to her chest.
“Maggie that hurt, really, you have been avoiding me for the last week. I don’t know what I did. Will you tell me?” He felt frustrated that she ignored him. Her focus was looking at the screen where he was pointing. “Mags? Why did you say that?”
“I would have said it to Doctor Cooper if he were here.” She muttered as her cheeks flushed unable to concentrate on the information he was sharing. She wanted nothing more that to rely on her emotions, but she had to be stronger than that.
He snorted his distaste. “You wouldn’t say anything like that to him, Mags. All the women ache for him to ‘try something’.” He muttered sarcastically.
She smacked him on the side of the head as she glared at him. “Shove it Josh.” She spat.
He rubbed his temple and watched her move back to the window to observe her treasured gassy haze. “Why is it the only time you use my name is when you are angry with me or intimate with me?”
She spun on her heel and marched toward him. Anger flaring in her dark eyes and her breath was rapid and quick. “I’m pregnant Josh," she blurted and flushed. "How’s that, Doctor Brighten?" her voice went soft instantly. "And if Doctor Cooper finds out I’m gone.” She looked over her shoulder at the various colors brightening the darkness. She bit her lip fighting her emotions. “I didn’t mean to tell you that way, Josh.” She said gently as she clutched the tablet. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry that you told me, or sorry that your…your…” he sagged against the console and looked at her with surprise. “Really?”
She glared at him as her heart tore into a thousand pieces. She loved him with every part of her being, and suddenly felt betrayed he didn’t seem to really care about what happened. She had been his lover for several months. She wondered if he ever knew she had never given herself to anyone but him.
No one had made her feel beautiful the way he did. She thought it couldn’t happen, they were safe, but it still happened. In the manner she told him, and his reaction was just another mistake she made.
“Don’t worry, I will take care of it.” She muttered as she turned her back on him and looked at the tablet fighting her tears. She felt alone and rejected.
She was startled when he grabbed her and spun her around to face him. Pure rage burned in his gray eyes. She blinked with surprise. She did not expect his glare nor the fierce grip he still had on her arm.
“Don’t you think we should talk about this before you go killing my child?” he snapped.
“What?” She looked at him with confusion.
“You said ‘take care of it’. I don’t believe in that Mags, I never have, and I won’t let you.” He shook her a little and she jerked her arm free.
“Are you crazy!” she snarled. “Why would you think that? You know me, Josh. You know me better than anyone else.” She pressed her palm against her flat stomach. “I only meant that I wouldn’t burden you—”
“Mags you carry my child.” His gray eyes pleaded with her to understand. “Do you know how important that is?” he let out a slow breath. “We created a child, in love, not because we got some licenses, or had a good day at the lab…well we did have a—…” he shook his head. “You know what I mean, there was no intervention, no lines, or loans, no segregate just natural, just as it was meant to be. The way it was done in the forgotten time.”
She flushed slightly and turned her back on him. “I didn’t know you felt that way.” She whispered as she looked at her discovery. “Josh I’m sorry I didn’t know how to tell you. Most men would run and hide.”
“But I love you Mags,” he set his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve loved you since we were children running around on this ship.” He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist pressing his palms firmly against her stomach. “This whole time I thought we were waiting for a new creation in this forming solar system.” He whispered softly. “Mags we created something so awe inspiring, beautiful and perfect.”
She turned slowly within his embrace and gave him a crooked smile. “Josh you make gas sound so romantic.” She framed his face and pressed a kiss against his lips. “Will you do me a favor?” She whispered.
“Anything, Maggie, you are my goddess of life.”
She frowned at him. “That was a bit much, Doctor Brighten.”
His eyes sparkled with his smile. “I’m sorry Mags, but —”
She pressed a finger against his lips. Gently she pulled on the lapel with the jelly-stain. “Josh do you think—”
“Maggie!” he gasped and turned her around quickly.
In a flash of bright brilliant colors the darkness of space was lit with the birth of a new solar system. The two had arms around each other’s waist watching in complete awe something so rare. They were part of creation in two very different and very beautiful ways. There was nothing that would change the magic of that moment in their lives.
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