Five minute free write - Robes

mikesthoughts (58)in #freewrite • 7 years ago

The sun sat high in the sky.

A burning light shoving it's merciless heat down onto the throngs of people gathered far below. As one they swayed back and forth, uncomprehensible words coming from their parched lips. A drought had brought them to the edge and now they sought a solution past that point. Civilization thrown down in a desperate plea to bring life-giving water to them.

A single man stood above them all. Long flowing robes ornate with bright colors, precious jewels, and coins of gold that clinked as he strode slowly to the front of the raised stone platform. He looked down and over the people he called his subjects. His heart was filled with love, and fear. What could he do but this to save them? But, what he was about to do would take them on a road he never wanted to travel.

A young man knelt before him, tears in his eyes, muscles quivering in fear.

His fate was known to all, most especially him, but he did not run. He had seen those he loved fall to the side, dried wheat cast aside in the heat. Parched, dead, and to make sure that didn't happen to someone else he was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.

An aide to the kings side handed the leader a long, dark, sharp knife shaped piece of stone.

Passed from generation to generation, it's origin unknown, stored since ages past in a vault deep in the ground.

It might have been the influence from the short story I was writing yesterday but when I saw the prompt my mind went immediately to human sacrifices of the Aztecs and Mayans. The ornate robes of office, the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony, the reasons behind it all. Despite the horrible act of murder, the whole things must have been a sight to behold. I mean, we get kind of a feeling of that from the Pope shows up somewhere, but the energy is completely different.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to transport yourself to a different era, to see and experience events of a completely different time?

I mean, we're going through some pretty crazy things right now as a society, but because we're in them we don't quite have the right perspective. But, going to the past, or even to the future, man, that could be something. We'd definitely have to discard some of the ways we think now to not get killed, jailed or worse, or at least modify them.

My brains kind of on auto right now due to a late night of drinking with friends and I've got like 3 articles and 2 reviews and countless other things to do so no super in-depth thoughtful prose based off of my writing this morning.

Hope you enjoyed the free write today! :)
Michael