Theme:
Transformation
Genre:
Dystopian
That spring, darkness crawled across the land, and laughter
disappeared.
King Jacob trudged through the forest
of dead sticks. Beyond the Buddha Mountain, the black soil blended into another
world, one that didn’t exist. White sandy pathways led him to the waterfall of
life. His clothes remained dry as he walked under the pure water. Within the
cave, the queen lay in a canopy bed, and translucent fabric covered her body. Crystals
formed on the tips of her eyelashes, and her hair was silky white.
An elderly woman sat at her bedside.
She lifted her cloak, revealing gray eyes that looked like clouds. “Your
Highness.”
He steadied his stance. “How do I
save her?”
“The prophecy shows two roads. One
where you go forward into the night and one where you tread toward the day.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“If you love her, you’ll give up the
magic. It has become a crutch for you.”
“I’ll never give it up. It’s the
source of who I am.”
She leaned in closer. “You’re labored
to its power. It holds the people of your realm as prisoners.”
“It protects them,” he said.
“Even with my blindness, I see a man
before me that hides behind the truth.”
“Do not speak to me that way.”
“It is she who holds the price.”
He stared down at the Queen. Her lacy
bodice rose and fell with each ragged breath she inhaled. “But if I give it up,
then I’ll never see her again.” He dropped to his knees and grabbed the queen’s
cold, soft hands. “She is everything to me.”
“Then let her go.”
He unlatched his grip and forced
himself to leave.
As he neared the opening of the cave,
fog drifted over the hills. Cherry blossoms wilted before his eyes. He no
longer heard the trickle of water that once spilled over the boulders above. An
eerie quietness lingered in the air.
He couldn’t stop thinking about her.
How she danced in the moonlight. How her contagious smile lit up the room. But
as he stood at the edge of what was, it consumed him, these memories. One after
another floated to the surface. How could he leave her behind?
It was his magic that brought him
here. A key to a past that now unlocked destruction among the people. All those
who served him suffered. For if he were to return to daily life, what kind of a
man would he be? His grief had the lead.
Night after night, he lay in his bed.
Nothing was enough anymore. His servants came to check on him, but even they
wished for his death. The water was unclean, and the air stagnant with fog,
dirty fog that hovered over the land. The magic he held only served one: him.
The doors opened, and in walked a
tall man. “Sire, your daughter is calling for you. Shall I tell her you’re
busy?”
“Leave me be.”
“Yes, sir.” He closed the doors.
The doors flung open. His daughter
rushed in.
“Father, wake up.”
He squinted. “Sarah, please.”
“Don’t you see?”
“There’s nothing to see.”
She drew the curtains. A stream of
sunlight beamed onto the marble floor.
Jacob covered his eyes.
She leaned over to kiss him and eased
him out of bed. “Come.” She unfolded her small hand like a flower.
He walked toward the window. “There’s
nothing out there to see.”
“Open your eyes.”
Something caught his attention. Her
smile. It was like hers. A small seam of light lured him forward. “Yes, I see.”
