Trahlyta
by Another Government Employee
In the Yahoola, there stands a grave. It is at the crossroads of two trading trails. Many say to place a stone on the grave is to bring good luck on a man’s travels.
On a dark, satiny night I come down the rill. There is a mist rising from the spring to my right. The stacked stones of the grave stand in front. There is a small sign at the grave. “Trahlyta met her fate here with a traveler. Traveler, won’t you remember her?” I ignore the sign and go on, not knowing what was ahead.
A short way further down the rill, the mist thickens and a form is visible ahead. A small voice rises amongst the babble of the water. “Traveler, you forget? It is I who makes safe your way.” And with that, a storm came up. A crack of lightning and everything went dark. I awoke to a stack of stones on my chest and a sign at my feet. “Trahlyta found her revenge. She is at peace.”
ooh, mythical and intriguing. But did he really wake? Makes the mind wander to a lyrical place. Very nice.
ReplyDeletehi, age!! so glad you entered the contest. :)
ReplyDeletei love your descriptions and the way both setting and voice convey such a sense of myth. loved the ending too! :D
Good story telling.
ReplyDeleteIs this like Swift's Gullivers Travel's.
nice little story to take to my grave.
ReplyDeleteI love the stack of stones on his chest. It's the weight of nightmares, of that feeling that you will not ever wake.
ReplyDeleteVery intriguing. I like the unique concept...
ReplyDeleteNothing like getting a bit of vengeance off one's chest. ;-)
ReplyDeletebekbek, i was trying to figure out why the stones had such impact. you really hit on it. and your comment also made me think of the allegory aspect - a man with the weight of the world on him. or this: one minute he's everyman on this journey; the next he's trapped because he didn't kiss ass. i've so been there!
ReplyDeleteA lovely, mysterious fantasy.
ReplyDeleteooooh- very cool!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the nod to the traditional ghost story genre!
ReplyDelete