BLUE ROAD HOME
Everyday I take the Blue Road home. You may think a Blue Road is pleasant, but the dangers along the Blue Road are great. Everyday after work I walk three miles to the forest where the Blue Road begins. After a mile, the road is greeted by massive stone archways. However, a traveler must keep their head down while walking among these archways because there are hundreds of snakes that live in these rock carvings. If the eyes of a snake meet the eyes of a traveler the traveler will become unfortunately paralyzed. Once paralyzed a traveler will be dragged into a rock dwelling. Two miles after the last archway, there is a cave. This cave is known as the "temple of doom." The temple of doom has a tricky schedule. The cave decides when a traveler can pass through its caverns. Everyday between the hours of 11am-3pm and 7pm-1am the cave fills with lava. If a traveler reaches the cave during these hours they must wait until the lava subsides back into the core. However, the daily lava is the reason why the cave walls are always as smooth as glass. After a traveler passes through the cave they are descended into a field of nettles. The nettles reach as far as the eye can see. However, one must stay on the path and never touch a nettle. If one steps off the path into the nettles they will never find the path again. The nettles in this field are selfish and unforgiving. A traveler will forever walk in the field of nettles. Sometimes when you look into the field you can see travelers far off in the distance growing in age, but never escaping. After a mile walk through the field of nettles a barricade of pine trees are visible. Behind these pine trees is my cabin. A cabin large enough for comfort, but small enough for convenience. Home sweet home.
Author's Note:
To write this short story I looked at Tom Gauld's "A Map of the Area Surrounding Our Holiday Home." He has several motifs drawn around a cabin. The motifs I used were nettles, temple of doom, and snakes. I picked these because they were drawn almost in a straight line from the cabin to the end of the picture. Therefore, I could start the story outside the picture and work my way to the cabin as if there is a pathway passing these motifs. That is why the story is a journey.
"A Map of the Area Surrounding Our Holiday Home"
Illustrated by Tom Gauld
Story Link
Gauld, Tom. Robots, Monsters, Ect. Cabanon Press, 2006.
Photograph:
Appennines Mountains: G. Dargaud
Snakes, lava, nettles…the Blue Road is not an inviting place! If I ever visit, I'll be sure to make it there between 4-5pm. As I read your storytelling post, I kept thinking of one of the Indiana Jones films, where Harrison Ford sneaks upon a treacherous cavern where a primitive-seeming society makes human sacrifices…scary! Anyhow, the photo you used to open the story is quite nice; it seems peaceful compared to your frightening journey home. I suppose if your blog posts stop coming in around 11am-3pm or 7pm-1am, we'll know what happened.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of the small, comfort the storyteller finds in his cozy home. The journey to make it home each day though - definitely not an easy one! The idea of the paralyzing snakes reminds me of the story of Medusa. Gazing into the eyes of the snakes of her hair would turn one into stone, so in a sense, it's a very similar concept. Great reference (even if it wasn't intentional)! I definitely don't think I would ever want to get caught up on the never-ending nettles path. That sure would be an ongoing journey!
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