With firmly shut eyes and a flick of her wrist, the incantation rolled easily off the tip of her tongue.
And as she spoke those gracious words, a magical menagerie of spinning sparks flickered to life in pulsating dances radiating their resplendence for all the world to see.
It was an unforgettable spectacle worthy of wonder which, would ultimately change the course of time.
The room was filled with inky blackness, and only the faintest glow of light could be seen from around the edges of the door. Once in a while, that faint light flickered, announcing the existence of someone in the hall. The sounds behind the door were mostly low and muffled, but every now and then, a shrill scream or clanking of metal could be heard. The most alarming sounds were the sudden scuffles of feet and the dragging of nails across wooden floorboards. Stifled whimpers often followed the tousles, along with deep moans and echoing groans. Sometimes the light beneath the door would abruptly disappear and then reappear as footsteps faded away. It was a lonesome place, with very little to do, but the sounds could stretch the mind, and for that, it was anything but uninspiring.
It was the year 2117, and a brand new shiny city had been built in the middle of the rainforest. Strangely enough, there were hardly any trees left, just a few scattered vines growing haphazardly on some of the buildings. The Amazon River wound its way through the spacious city, and man-made islands could be seen throughout. Streets were a thing of the past, and boats and airplanes were too. Those who were mentally strong enough could travel instantaneously through mind control. Others who lacked this ability were at the mercy of those who could.
Most of the buildings sat atop wide pedestals and were sporadically spaced throughout the city. Some were shaped like huge cigars standing on end, while others were shaped like flying saucers atop narrower single columned structures. There were only a few ordinary looking buildings, and even those were all elevated off the ground. A maze of passageways existed underneath the crowded city. Vines crept and clung to the buildings’ undersides, and the majority of the passages were dark and vacant.
Most people walked along netted bridges, which had been built high above the city. These bridges seemed to connect most of the buildings so that people never really had to set foot on the ground. The majority of people were very free with their bodies. Little clothing was worn, and most of the people seemed intoxicated and grungy looking. There were quite a few structures built of woven bamboo. These places were used mainly by the lower class citizens. Many of the buildings did not even have rooftops and were instead completely open to the elements. The upper-class citizens were mostly found in the taller buildings, which were all constructed of polished metal.
In the heart of the city was a large open pavilion, and the view from this vantage point was breathtaking. The pavilion was divided into sections by bamboo woven walls. Each separate area held feasting tables, which ran the length of the open rooms. The rooms were crowded, and extra seats were nonexistent. Food was not available for purchase; instead, neon-colored alcoholic beverages were served in shot glasses. These colored concoctions littered the tables from one end to the next.
The rooms were filled with people who appeared expressionless and incoherent. One woman even had her newborn baby lying in front of her on the table. The baby was malnourished and naked, untouched and unloved, with its umbilical cord still attached. One of the woman’s breasts rested along the edge of the table, allowing her baby to suckle while she proceeded to get wasted. A sign above her read, “Viewer Discretion Advised.”
This story is based on a dream I had, February 2, 2017. I wanted to share this dream again because I’m starting to wonder if this is a reality we could one day be facing.
Originally posted February 4, 2017 on my other blog, which can be found here.
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