LifeTime [History]

(Chronos Journal Article p.14-19)

A Short History of LifeTime

 

There once was a great King named Brevis who ruled the proud nation of Confera.

 

Not a day passed where he did not marvel at the wonders of human intellect. His people would raise magnificent buildings of many textures and colors and bring life to the busy markets with their luscious arrangements of delicious food and collections of inquisitive inventions.

 

The town itself seemed to have an emotion of its own, awash in soft sunlight, emitting a warm and radiant feeling which engulfed the pleasant settlement of Confera.

 

For several days, Brevis observed a building near the corner of town. It had hardly made any progress; dead leaves entered and exited its hollow while the wooden frame of the structure swayed in the gentle wind.

Curious as to what had halted its construction, he ordered his guards to find and bring to him the draftsman of the abandoned building.

The guards brought back a young girl with pale skin and mousy brown hair, clad in a  grimy black dress with brown boots.

Brevis sat at his throne and asked what had become of the construction.

The girl slowly looked down at her feet, and answered quietly that her father, the craftsman, had unexpectedly passed away in his sleep, impeding the continuation of the building.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. The girl brought her hands to her face and started to weep silently, staining the dusty sleeves of her dress.

 

Brevis called his royal courtier to organize a weekly payment for the family for the loss of their main worker, and arrange for another builder to continue with the construction.

He then ordered his guards to escort the girl back to the village.

 

Wrinkles formed on the King’s forehead, as he watched the large wooden entrance close.

How horrible it must have been for the man’s family, not knowing that last night’s conversation at the dinner table would be their last, not knowing that the next morning he would not be opening his eyes.

That night, a million thoughts shot though Brevis’s mind as he paced the silent corridors of the castle.

 

Why are we not in control of our own fates? Must we all live in fear of not waking up tomorrow? Why are we all given different amounts of years to live?

 

Sorrow overcame the old king, “I will die one day as well,” he thought, “but will it be as sudden as that man?” a chill traveled down his spine.

 

Brevis stopped to look at the time on the golden clock which hung from the stone fireplace.

Two thirty-seven.

Where does the time go? He wondered to himself, as he watched the flimsy minute hand travel around the smooth metal surface.

 

One revolution made in sixty seconds.

Sixty precious seconds deducted from life.

 

Then, he was struck by an idea, a plan.

 

What if a human had power over the length of their existence?

A longer life would result in a richer experience of life itself, a life where you may depart the earth knowing that your ambitions have been realized, a fractional life of immortality, a life with no regrets.

 

Brevis decided to congregate with Tempus, the God of Time. Perhaps there was a way for humans to decide their own ends, an option of a second chance.

 

Author's Note

So, this is an extract from the story I've been working on (see authors note on 'LifeTime' [Prologue] for explanation.)
Still a draft, I want to add more detail.....
Critiques much appreciated!