Social Short Story – A Tale of Two Kingdoms
Photo credit: takekha from morguefile.com
She: I remember that morning . . .
I decided I’d go for a walk. As I often did, I returned to well-travelled paths. Exploring my kingdom, I turned corners and climbed hills. I walked along the valleys, crossed bridges, explored caves. This morning something was different, and I could feel it in the atmosphere. I could feel a slowly building anxiety rising within me. I tried to ignore it, but still it was there.
I walked to the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean hoping the deep stillness would soothe me. I sat on my throne and watched the slow ripples dance across the surface, but still I was unsettled. The anxiety seemed to pierce even the objects around me. I got up and walked out to the far corners of my kingdom, trying to clear my head. Then the first unexpected thing happened. The ground began vibrating. I walked faster, intending to escape until I came across the next unexpected thing.
There was a boundary? In my kingdom?! My kingdom has no boundaries!! As I walked up to it and placed my hand on it, it jerked suddenly. I didn’t understand what was happening. Desperately I tried to push against it but the force of its expansion was too strong. This couldn’t be happening… I gathered all of my strength and pushed back with all my strength. I had to stop this, this thing! Spread. Spread! SPREAD!!!
He: I remember that morning . . .
I awoke suddenly to the sound of my name. Here I am,” I said.
“It’s time,” the reply was gentle but resonated through the atmosphere and the very ground I stood on. I noticed the stability of my steps as I walked and it gave me the confidence to move forward. Steadily I walked through this environment, examining my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the complete lack of boundaries. I could go anywhere, do anything. I flew, soaring around and around, then I went further.
Everything I looked at reached toward me and greeted me with joy and jubilation. I could still hear the echo of my name, even here. I willed myself to settle, then I began exploring deeper. I stretched out my arm as far as I could see but I felt no difference in distance. I noticed the subtle changes in landscape leading to a vast ocean; peaceful and still. Behind me there was a throne, and I saw my name engraved there. “Sit,” the gentle voice spoke again, reassuring me. As I sat down, I felt as if it were made for me, and a crown was placed on my head. This felt . . . right. All was well. That’s when I heard her crying softly.
She: I could not move . . .
I was terrified. Every time I tried to move I lost a part of myself in this . . . whatever it is. I heard a terrible voice speaking a word I’ve never heard before or since, in a language I still don’t recognize. I was trapped, walled in for the first time in eternity. My kingdom was invaded, taken from me by force. I couldn’t see past these walls that boxed me in, how I even found this room to hide in is a mystery. I only knew that I could not leave or I would cease to be.
Gripped by confusion, frustration, rage, and despair I began to weep. Suddenly I heard his voice, the one who had stolen my throne, my crown, my kingdom! He spoke to ME!!! He didn’t sound at all like I thought he would. He wasn’t arrogant, he didn’t sound like an enemy. There was no list of demands or prideful speech. He was actually concerned . . . for me?
“Is everything alright?” Immediately I was pushed to the floor by his voice.
“Stop, STOP! Please. Don’t destroy me. You can have my kingdom, my throne, my crown but let me have my existence.”
He was confused. “Your throne? Your existence?”
“MY KINGDOM!” I growled, half from fear, half from rage at his seeming unawareness of what he’d done. “You stole my kingdom and now you’re trying to take my existence away.” I sobbed bitterly fearing the unknown of death. There was a pause.
“I didn’t know it was yours,” he said simply.
“Well it was,” I said, “before everything changed. I don’t even recognize it anymore”
He: She was cowering in a room, terrified.
I couldn’t see into it but somehow I knew she was covering her face. “How long have you been here? I didn’t know anyone else was here.”
“I’ve always been here,” she said angrily, “but now you’re taking me away.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I WAS EVERYWHERE!!! I had no borders. This kingdom was mine. I used to go for walks by the ocean and look at my reflection in the stillness.” She was crying again. “Now everything seems so vibrant, brilliant. It seems so . . . ALIVE! Explosions of color everywhere. Blinding me, hurting me. I’m losing myself. Why? Why would you invade my kingdom in this way?” Her voice rose to a shriek. She was terrified.
“I didn’t know I was hurting you. I didn’t mean to,” I said, opening the door to her room. She cried out in fear and pain and rage. “NO! NO!! PLEASE DON’T!!! LET ME LIVE!!” She moaned in despair as I looked at her. “What is your name?” I asked.
“Darkness” she whispered in a voice so deep it rippled to the far corners of the kingdom.
Her face was hidden behind a veil but she spread out over everything. She reached her arm from behind the veil to grab at her leg but as soon as her hand came out she screamed in pain and withdrew it immediately.
“Who are you?!” She demanded.
Taking the veil from her face, I replied “I am Light.”
–END–
