»
Main Forums
»
Passions in Prose
»
Crimson Rays
| Passions in Prose |
|
Crimson Rays |
|
|
Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN 
|
The sun just began to crest the flat horizon, and the plain burned crimson. The walls dripped blood, which was washed away at the coming of the full sun. A cock’s crow went up like a call from a broken trumpet and the town’s women came like soldiers to a muster. They carried earthenware jars and went single-file to the well. Each of them drew their water and whispered back and forth of the small things women concern themselves with: of babes, rashes, sickness and their families. Then they left, each going back to their homes. Soon smoke was rising from chimneys as each began the days cooking, creating a picturesque scene of the small Hebrew city. The sun had hefted half its bulk above the horizon as the shepherds and the farmers filed out the gate to labor another day in the field. The racket of animal and tools woke a child and soon the entire younger population was awake and making their own racket in the square around the well. Little boys pretended to be heroes, acting out favorite stories. In the early hours of the morning they were King David and Noah. The little girls would watch the boys or help their mothers with the laundry, sewing or cooking. The sun hung a breath's width over the horizon and the heat was already mounting over the peaceful day. Sentries on the wall mopped sweat from their brows and children began to seek the shadows for their games. One sentry, who was wiping sweat from his brow, was the first to see them coming in a cloud of dust on the horizon that was drawing nearer. "Foe! Foe! Return herders! Return farmers!" he cried, then turned toward the city, "To arms! To arms!" Men young and old boiled out of houses bearing long bows and iron blades. They mounted the walls and watched sheep, goats and their watchers file quickly back into town. Then the gate of the town fell with a resounding crash. The sound spread a tangible hush across the gathered men gazing over the field. A group of horsemen, galloping just out of bow range was the first they saw of the strange invaders. These then wheeled their horses and returned to the main troupe without breaking formation. The men on the walls kept their watch, growing ever more disquieted. It was not too long before great wooden towers were seen being led by teams of lathering horses. The men broke into worried discourse then. They knew these men by their organization and their strange contraptions. They would not allow this upstart people to take their city, but could not start a war either. These were the men of Assur, who’s strength in arms and cruelty was seconded to none. So they waited in silence, their fear and resolve battling in their hearts. The foreign soldiers halted their prefect ranks out of bow range, their wooden machinations standing ominously in the back. From out of their number came one clothed in white linen, a stark contrast to the army’s earthen tones. He walked to the gates, his arms lifted in supplication and then he knocked and cried, "Open your gates, good people! I come to parley with you if you would just open your gates." Grasping at the chance of a peaceful conclusion they consented to opening the great gate to let the emissary through. "The great lord of Assur seeks only one thing from you," the emissary began, "If you give us your leader no man, woman, or child shall be harmed and you may life your lives as you will. If you withhold the personage of your leader your defeat will be total, not one of your seed shall live and the very clay of this city shall forget you." All of us stood silent and the emissary frowned. His face lightened then, "You shall have until sun’s set this day to render your decision. Choose wisely." Then he left as he came, and the force of Assur began to erect a great army of tents and light fires for their meal. As they prepared for their meal, sentries were ever on guard and were such as long as we saw their army. The citizens were quick to make up their minds, they would not give up their leader, Terab. They depended upon his wisdom and they respected him too much to throw him to that pack of jackals. The town began to busy themselves in the daylight hours left preparing tools of war. As the sun fell from heaven, its last rays again covered the walls in scarlet stains. The emissary emerged from amid the soldiers again and his fine white linen appeared as if it was soaked in blood. He walked arrogantly to the gate and phrased his demand: "Good people, what is your decision? Remember you will have our sworn word of safety if you give us your leader. If you choose to resist none of you shall live. What we ask is but a small price. What is your fate? Choose now." The men were cowed by the sign of his crimson finery but their resolve did not waver and one of their numbers moved to the front, "Never shall we so dishonor our patriarch, we fear not your threats." "You will come to regret your decision, fools. Rest well for tomorrow brings the dying," he said, turning and walking away. The sun disappeared then and though the last ruddy rays faded, the messenger was still scarlet clad. Dawn the next day was only a brief glimmer of light before it was swallowed in a leaden pall of clouds that had swept over the town during the night. The air was heavy with the threat of impending rain and there was a charge in the air. The city had little sleep and they were already feeling a sense of anxiety as the Assyrians came from their camp. Before them came great wooden contraptions and these stopped well out of bow shot. The machines rocked on their wheels and up went great masts of wood sending several small shot at the walls. The men laughed at the projectiles being fired, for their walls could not be taken with such small weaponry. The shot hit the walls and slid to the ground leaving ghastly crimson streaks, and the town’s laughter croaked and died as eyes stared up from broken skulls. Younger men wept at this travesty and the older clutched their weapons and looked on as they filled with righteous anger. Then the trajectory of the missiles changed and the grisly projectiles began to rain down on the town. Wails rose up and tears were shed and hearts began to harden. The men began to talk as the city filled with the morbid attack and the flies buzzed and soon an attack was organized. The veteran fighters gathered around the gates clutching spears, bows and other implements of war. At a signal from the wall the gate was thrown wide and out rushed a throng of Hebrews, courage lifting up their iron weapons and driving them onward. The Assyrians waited and then as soon as the Hebrews cleared bow shot distance of the wall they rushed. The two armies crashed in spray of blood as the Assyrians carved away at the Hebrews. The Hebrews fled back to their walls and the Assyrians captured a great many of their retreating numbers and less than half of the number that had issued from the gate returned. The Assyrians attacked no longer that day, but withdrew to their camp, and the Hebrews grew nervous. Dawn came slowly the next day to the Hebrews. She was slow to stretch her crimson fingers and lift her glowing face above the world. Then both herself and Hebrews gazed down on the macabre field below. Fully one score Hebrews were lifted bodily off the ground on scarlet stakes. The ground was stained red black with dried blood and those on the walls cried out in grief as those smiling eyeless faces stared back at them, their skin hanging in dripping tatters. The Hebrews quailed and fear grew in their hearts and they withdrew from the walls and no war was made that day. The Assyrians stood quietly below the wall their foreheads anointed with the blood of the Hebrews and with that same blood inscribed a winged bull on the gates. They left to their camp and eerie silence fell upon all and it weighed on the Hebrews like a millstone. That night the Hebrews planned to escape by mean of a tunnel leading out a goodly distance from the city while some men would distract the Assyrians at the gates. The old men, the women, children and no few warriors began to leave via the bolt whole, while many a warrior boiled through the gates and fell upon the Assyrians. The Hebrews at the gate were overwhelmed and annihilated. Those in the tunnel felt like they were stumbling through the throat of some great beast, the tangible darkness weighing on them for they would not alert the Assyrians with light. Their fear grew with the slow passage of time until Terab, their leader, stepped out into the moonless night. They Hebrews came slowly forth, invigorated by their freedom from the tunnel. They now thought of Jerusalem and seeking protection in the city of their king. Whatever relief they felt was crushed as their leader was seized with a great cry and a flurry of iron and bloodlusted warriors fell among the Hebrews. Terab watched as his people fell, mutilated by the swords of the wicked. Then a sword fell upon his head and he saw no more. Terab woke to find himself in front of the walls of his city. Walls that were now a forest of wooden stakes and upon each was a headless corpse. His eyes strayed upon the sign of the winged bull carved into his wall and as an Assyrian came he bowed and worshipped, but was kicked. A harsh voice and another swift kick came, and his head was drawn back. He felt a searing heat on his face and then heard an audible pop. Vitrous fluid trickled down his cheek searing him as a voice said in stilted Hebrew, "Get you gone, animal. Take yourself to your king and tell him Sennacherib of Assur comes for him." Terab stumbled off then his empty socket and his single eye burning with tears as he marched east to Jerusalem, his mind filled with untold horrors. Abrahm Simons "I'm not sick, but I'm not well, and I'm so hot, cause I'm in Hell." - Harvey Danger |
||
| © Copyright 2000 Abrahm Simons - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Wow! I couldn't take my eyes from the page. This is wonderful Abe!!! Vivid imagery and a great story line!!! |
||
|
sweetcollege_girl Senior Member
since 1999-12-03
Posts 872just about where I want to be |
Gee whiz, Abe...very vivid story, with great imagery! I couldn't "put it down"  Very um..nice..? story. p.s. glad to see you around again ~*~SCG~*~ |
||
|
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
M'friend - this is probably your best work to date. You mix of imagery and telling was marvellously executed. You managed to elicit no small amount of apprehension about the characters and I think you exhibited the spirit of their bravery and despair wonderfully. A work to be re-read and a poignant topic to boot. C |
||
|
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Submit...I don't care where..just do it!!! Listen to me, the voice of reason (don't say it!!!)...  |
||
|
Alwye
Moderator
Member Elite
since 1999-06-16
Posts 3850In the space between moments |
This is an excellent piece of writing my dear. Vivid, strong images with great story telling. And to think it was a school project.  Wonderul work love, I enjoyed greatly! *Krista Knutson* "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar." Helen Keller |
||
Victoria
since 2000-08-12
Posts 5869 |
I can see im going to have to visit the prose section more often..this is great writing Dusk..enjoyed.. ~Victoria~ A poem is never finished, only abandoned. - Paul Valery (1871-1945) |
||
|
Dawn Eclipse Senior Member
since 2000-01-31
Posts 637The Horsehead Nebula |
wow NINJA! WELL DONE! Es muy bueno! I'm glad you sent me this earlier! welldone my friend. < !signature-->"Forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other course, no other way... No day but today" ~Broadway Musical RENT~ *Cassandra Roseen* [This message has been edited by Dawn Eclipse (edited 10-26-2000).] |
||
|
Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
Sharon - Thank you! I'll definetly look for someone to publish. Lavada - Thanks for the comments! I think you'll see more of me around eventually.... Chris - I really appreciate your opinion, and love hearing such a high one! Thanks much! Krista - Thank you for the comments sweetheart, and I hope this project earns a good grade. Victoria - Thank you, I do hope you come here often Cassie - Thanks NINJA! Glad you liked it. Abrahm Simons "I'm not sick, but I'm not well, and I'm so hot, cause I'm in Hell." - Harvey Danger |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
