the forgotten city

in which we enter the old city

In the forgotten city there are many ghosts.  The ghosts there may have once been angry, vengeful spirits, I do not know. 

But now the ghosts are quiet and lonely. 

The ghosts cannot see each other; they can only see children, and children left the forgotten city long ago. 

The children left in many ways. 

Some grew up and simply were not children anymore.  Some left the forgotten city to return home where they are loved and where they will remain children forever.  Others remained.  (These became ghosts in the forgotten city)  Some children fell asleep in the dust that collects on everything in the city, but the city is no place to rest.  Some (more toward the end of the days of that forgotten city) were not born children at all.  These were placed in jars that line the windowsills of what could have been, but wasn’t.

The ghosts do not remember much in the forgotten city.  I do not know if they even want to remember.  Instead they search for something but never find it.  Maybe if they looked out beyond the shattered glass and twisted steel they would find what it is they are looking for.  But ghosts cannot leave the forgotten city to where the sky meets the dry dunes.  The sun dwells outside their walls and searches them and they become naked and ashamed.  They remember they are just ghosts and not children that they wish to be (if they can still wish at all.)

So the ghosts stay inside the forgotten city, whispering stories into the air of the city of crumbling walls.

Reviews

[Sara Rose]

I really like this. I'd love to read more of it.

[fireblossom]

Your writing is simple and pleasing. Reminds me of Saroyan's The Human Comedy. A story written almost like a poem. This writing feeds the reader.

Very nice.

[Deepwood's Hart]

yep sure are. not all of them have to do with the city itself though. many are more like fairy tales.

[Ed Hart]

so then, are we going to read the stories