"This way is the right way, the other way is the wrong way."
I could hear the voice echoing around me, I could suddenly see a smooth path before my feet. I even seemed to see an arrow in the sky, pointing to the right. But the road was open in front of me, while, on the right, was a hill whose top disappeared into the clouds.
"This way is the right way, the other way is the wrong way," the voice insisted.
But I was tired, and the hill was I-knew-not-how-high. Surely, if there were a town nearby, it would be somewhere along the road ahead of me, possibly behind those trees at the end of the lake, I reasoned, so I hesitated.
"He who hesitates is lost," said another voice, probably the one in my own head.
The smooth path in front of my feet shimmered for a moment, then disappeared. The arrow, which couldn't possibly have been real, disappeared also.
I continued along the road in the direction I'd been traveling all day. Exhausted, I slipped. Unable to regain my balance, I fell, and tumbled downhill toward the lake. As I felt the ice break under my weight, I heard the voice again.
"This way was the right way, your way was the wrong way."
As I felt the cold water closing around me, I looked up, and saw a castle appear as the clouds rose away from the top of the hill. Castles are built on hills to discourage newcomers.
Posted for Magpie Tales, hosted every week by Tess, who provides us with a picture and lets our imaginations do the rest. Thanks, Tess!
To see what other imaginations made of the above photo, please click
13 comments:
I've learned to trust that voice in my head. Love-love-love that last line!
Can you hear me clapping with delight, Kay, after reading this wonderful little tale you have written. I wonder if the castle in Lucerne inspired your castle on a hill. Anyway, I loved the ending.:)
Our two ideas were not that far apart.
Oooh, intriguing.
I think this week's prompt is going to go in many directions.
Wow! What a haunting internal dialogue. The final line lingers in my mind like a last note can sometimes do in certain songs.
Wonderful take on the prompt...lovely
Intuition is often the best pointer of the way to go...
Oh, but if it wasn't for the blur of everyday sounds, drowning out the still small voice... leading us to castles high in the sky.
Intriguing and a good reminder that the inner voice often has merit. Love this!
hello fellow Albertan!
i can relate. not the falling down the hill and into a lake part but the hesitation and the inner voice
enjoyed the read
wonderful take on the prompt
Great piece.
The ending (the last line) is marvelous.
vivid tale.
lovely finish.
Post a Comment