I know this place.
Of course. You have been here many times. Countless.
But why am I here again?
You do not remember? Is that world you cared so much about already gone from your recollection?
It seems like a dream I had as a child.
You have said that before. How do you feel?
It’s not peace, exactly. It’s something else. It’s hard to describe.
Powerlessness is strange to you.
But why am I here?
It seems that once again you have fallen into the old patterns of violence and greed and fear.
Must I go back, then?
Yes.
Dear Josh,
In some ways we seem to have gone in similar directions this week. This has a psychoanalytical feel to it, reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange (only saw the movie, haven’t read the book. ;) ) Feel free to tell me if I’m way off base, but this is what I read into it. Well written in any case.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks for reading Rochelle! My intent was to depict a first encounter with the afterlife. I believe we are put here to nurture relationships, to create things and to grow spiritually. Though we are born with this knowledge, it’s all too easy for us to forget, to harden into the patterns of hatred and fear that seem to govern our lives. When we stand beneath this tree and see all clearly, we have already forgotten what cost us so much to learn. That’s what I was thinking about, anyway ;-)
It works. I guess my head was entrenched for the moment in psychotherapy and PTSD. I’m on the threshold of a new novel…;)
Me too! Hawser in Laos this time. I stalled on my ambitious 17th century tome, so I set it aside to focus on something I can write for NaNoWriMo. This will be year 5!
Wow, I was thinking of taking part this year with this one, but I think I’ll pass.
Nonetheless, this one’s up close and personal for me. So it might take a while.
Well, it’s fifty thousand words of first draft. I think that it’s a tremendously valuable thing to build some momentum. It gives me accountability in a way that nothing else does
Ah, nicely put.
Saw the film and read the book many decades ago. Don’t remember much except the “language” used was based on Russian slang.
Compelling. Wonder where he is and where he needs to go.
At first, I had thought of it as a self-talk but then read your response to decipher more. Wonderful concept and writing .
Your story reminded me of a rebirth. I liked how you put it together.
I saw guilt and insanity in this, but perhaps that’s only because that’s what I wrote about
So many ways to interpret this, the best writing always has. Like others I saw it initially as a conversation someone was having with themselves.
I totally get what you were trying to put across here. And I agree with you. Beautifully done.
My first reading made me think of something of a dialogue between God and Devil but your explanation made more sense, J Hardy.
Ok, I’m impressed. Love the imagination here. Well done :)
I’m thinking it’s some sort of reincarnation and the poor chap keeps ending up “down below” because he never learns. Nice one!
This reads like a spirit talking, but not a tree spirit talking, maybe the tree spirit is the narrator, guiding the spirit of a human… I am assuming… because we have always lived in close harmony with trees. Nicely told though, Josh, not disjointed at all – which I think is easily done when crafting stories with different or experimental styles, without the necessary skill and confidence needed.
I love the ambiguity of this, and how you leave the reader free to make our own interpretations. For me it’s a person who is in that place between life and death, facing some sort of reckoning, and being sent back to try harder next time.
To me, it reads very much like reincarnation where your previous conduct determines your latest incarnation. Your subject has been a worldly man, neglecting spiritual things, and falling into habits of violence, greed and fear. He’s now returning to try again. It doesn’t sound like he’ll attain Nirvana any time soon!
The story is also a lament for the way the world is, in particular the way it’s governed, I think.
I got a bit caught up there in trying to understand the story, and forgot the main thing I wanted to say, which was that I read your story with keen anticipation that I would enjoy skilful writing and thought provoking propositions – and I was well satisfied with what I read. Nice one, Josh!
Now I’m intrigued! What why how where!
Click to read my FriFic!
And still we have to return into the world – peace is a hard lesson to learn. Softly sad, Josh
Oh, a vicious cycle this. Nicely done, Josh
So he is stuck in the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Looks like the character has not yet embarked on a spiritual pursuit, or self-knowledge and is a long way from mokṣa, the final release out of the reincarnation cycles. Nice one.
I had to read it a few times before I achieved self realisation ;-)
I love the way you’ve structured this. It can be difficult to be innovative in the flash form, but you’ve managed it here.