A little writing exercise
Fairy tale...metaphor...how many devices can I throw in one, short piece? Let's see...
Once upon a time...
…there was a queen locked in a tower of ice. She wasn’t locked in by an evil witch or sorcerer. She’d locked herself in. The cold was comfortable for her, she felt safe in it. After all, it is only when ice starts to melt that floods come. And everyone knows that floods can sweep a person away, so that he or she ends up in a wholly new place, or ends up drowning.
From her tower of frost, the queen could see through that clear, cold, glasslike stuff to the world, and even interact with the world, to an extent. She was able to keep aloof, and surface, and didn’t get too deeply involved in anything much beyond the ice tower. She had the things she needed within. There was no need to venture out, and no need to bring any unnecessary warmth in.
One day, out of nowhere, she heard the ice start to drip. Slowly at first, and then more quickly, the ice began melting. The queen looked through the ice to see what could possibly be destroying her tower. And saw someone on the other side, staring through at her.
She tried to ignore him. She retreated away from the walls of the tower, and buried herself in those things within that had always reinforced the frozen surface.
But he didn’t go away. Just kept on gazing through the ice, which by this time was getting thinner and thinner. He didn’t move toward her. He didn’t move away. He just stood there, looking. Melting the ice. Scaring the queen with his power.
As the last bits of ice turned into water, the inevitable flood began to swell, and the queen found herself lifted up on the waves. She grasped at those things that had always been with her in the tower, and was able to take some with her, some security even as the flood bore her away to places unknown. And he…he was on the wave next to her, still calm, still staring, still melting whatever ice was left. But the queen stared back, and smiled a little half smile, as she clutched her snow globe to her heart.
Once upon a time...
…there was a queen locked in a tower of ice. She wasn’t locked in by an evil witch or sorcerer. She’d locked herself in. The cold was comfortable for her, she felt safe in it. After all, it is only when ice starts to melt that floods come. And everyone knows that floods can sweep a person away, so that he or she ends up in a wholly new place, or ends up drowning.
From her tower of frost, the queen could see through that clear, cold, glasslike stuff to the world, and even interact with the world, to an extent. She was able to keep aloof, and surface, and didn’t get too deeply involved in anything much beyond the ice tower. She had the things she needed within. There was no need to venture out, and no need to bring any unnecessary warmth in.
One day, out of nowhere, she heard the ice start to drip. Slowly at first, and then more quickly, the ice began melting. The queen looked through the ice to see what could possibly be destroying her tower. And saw someone on the other side, staring through at her.
She tried to ignore him. She retreated away from the walls of the tower, and buried herself in those things within that had always reinforced the frozen surface.
But he didn’t go away. Just kept on gazing through the ice, which by this time was getting thinner and thinner. He didn’t move toward her. He didn’t move away. He just stood there, looking. Melting the ice. Scaring the queen with his power.
As the last bits of ice turned into water, the inevitable flood began to swell, and the queen found herself lifted up on the waves. She grasped at those things that had always been with her in the tower, and was able to take some with her, some security even as the flood bore her away to places unknown. And he…he was on the wave next to her, still calm, still staring, still melting whatever ice was left. But the queen stared back, and smiled a little half smile, as she clutched her snow globe to her heart.