Finding Another Castle - LJ Idol, Season 9, Week 3
For so long, I walked through a crumbling castle. It was dank and cold, with nothing to cover the bare chill coming from the walls. Everything, inside and out, was shrouded in darkness. I tried to take the stairs to the top of the tower, desperate to see some bit of brightness, but the stairs were covered with slick filth so that each time I'd try to make my way up I would instead fall back to the bottom. For awhile, I sat at the bottom of those stairs, tears streaming from my eyes. I wasn't sure I could get up again. I was tired of trying to find that brightness at the top, tired of constantly falling down.
The briefest whisper of sound touched my ears, a gentle voice on the wind. "Take a different path. Find a different castle," the voice urged.
At first, I hesitated. My dismal surroundings may have been uncomfortable, but it was what I knew. I'd spent days, weeks, walking through its halls, finding broken chairs and empty tables. I knew the dungeons, with their rusted doors hanging open. I knew each blade of grass poking through the cobblestones outside the main castle door. I knew the coldness of the hearth fires, empty of all but ash. I knew everything but what stood in the towers. Could I give up a place that at least gave me shelter without warmth, for only the possibility of a better place? What if I ended up still cold with no shelter? What if there wasn't another castle to find?
"But what if there is?" the voice whispered. "What will you lose by not trying?" A brush of air touched my cheek like the softest of kisses. "You can do this," said the voice. "Follow me."
My first steps were tentative, the fear still within me, clutching my belly into a tight knot. The voice said no more, but led me through the castle with the softest of whispered sighs. Soon I stood in the doorway of the long-time home, the darkness of it's shadow laid out before me. "Look outward," the voice once again spoke. For several moments, as my eyes traveled through the shadows, I was convinced that I'd been a fool to listen to the whisper. But then my eyes caught something... something bright. The shadow lightened the further out I looked. And there, not as far as I'd feared, was light. And beyond it, on a hill in the distance, stood another castle. The stone shone white in the sunlight, the spires stood high. From where I stood, I saw no crumbling, no disrepair. Colorful flags hung from the ramparts. It looked warm and inviting, but so far away.
Once more, I hesitated. What would I find along the way? Between that castle and this were woods, hills, so many things unknown. Would I even make it? I could always come back, I reminded myself. If things got too hard, I could return. This castle had been home for so long that I'd always find my way back to the security of what is known.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped outside the castle. Slowly at first, I walked to the edge of the castle's shadow. I stood on the edge between darkness and light, closed my eyes, and stepped forward. I could feel the warmth of the sun over my skin, smell the freshness of spring in the air. The new castle still looked far away, but it didn't feel impossible any longer. I looked back at the crumbling debris behind me. Another brush of a kiss touched my cheek. "Go," the voice urged softly. With a smile, I quickened my step, anxious to reach my goal.
The briefest whisper of sound touched my ears, a gentle voice on the wind. "Take a different path. Find a different castle," the voice urged.
At first, I hesitated. My dismal surroundings may have been uncomfortable, but it was what I knew. I'd spent days, weeks, walking through its halls, finding broken chairs and empty tables. I knew the dungeons, with their rusted doors hanging open. I knew each blade of grass poking through the cobblestones outside the main castle door. I knew the coldness of the hearth fires, empty of all but ash. I knew everything but what stood in the towers. Could I give up a place that at least gave me shelter without warmth, for only the possibility of a better place? What if I ended up still cold with no shelter? What if there wasn't another castle to find?
"But what if there is?" the voice whispered. "What will you lose by not trying?" A brush of air touched my cheek like the softest of kisses. "You can do this," said the voice. "Follow me."
My first steps were tentative, the fear still within me, clutching my belly into a tight knot. The voice said no more, but led me through the castle with the softest of whispered sighs. Soon I stood in the doorway of the long-time home, the darkness of it's shadow laid out before me. "Look outward," the voice once again spoke. For several moments, as my eyes traveled through the shadows, I was convinced that I'd been a fool to listen to the whisper. But then my eyes caught something... something bright. The shadow lightened the further out I looked. And there, not as far as I'd feared, was light. And beyond it, on a hill in the distance, stood another castle. The stone shone white in the sunlight, the spires stood high. From where I stood, I saw no crumbling, no disrepair. Colorful flags hung from the ramparts. It looked warm and inviting, but so far away.
Once more, I hesitated. What would I find along the way? Between that castle and this were woods, hills, so many things unknown. Would I even make it? I could always come back, I reminded myself. If things got too hard, I could return. This castle had been home for so long that I'd always find my way back to the security of what is known.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped outside the castle. Slowly at first, I walked to the edge of the castle's shadow. I stood on the edge between darkness and light, closed my eyes, and stepped forward. I could feel the warmth of the sun over my skin, smell the freshness of spring in the air. The new castle still looked far away, but it didn't feel impossible any longer. I looked back at the crumbling debris behind me. Another brush of a kiss touched my cheek. "Go," the voice urged softly. With a smile, I quickened my step, anxious to reach my goal.