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The Silenceby Richard HannibalOne day, the rumbling stopped along the wide, black trail where nothing grew. The eyes of the critters living nearby no longer burned from the brownish air that hung close to the ground. The sudden quiet caused a thousand ears to strain. Squirrels rose on their hind legs and sniffed the air for signs of danger. They peered out from the bushes and gazed across the hardened surface of the black trail, finally realizing the menace that divided communities was no longer there. Life among the creatures changed the moment the Silence came. The birds sensed it. The violent whirlwind turbulence that sucked them down from mid-flight was gone. The dense billow of air, followed by a sudden impact, no longer took its toll. Their songs were no longer muffled by the 'whoosh' of air that once came down the trail. The harsh metallic clatter of red and silver reflections bouncing across the hard path was replaced by the sound of leaves caressing one another in the gentle breeze. Fur and feathers remained motionless as a collective consciousness tried to comprehend the reason. The bees became aware when the usual coating of dust slowly vanished and no longer dulled the infrared rays of the flowers. The nectar was sweeter and more plentiful as the vegetation's pores became free of the grime that had previously attacked in intermittent, short gusts. The initial days after The Silence began were filled with suspicion and wonder, but soon the creatures began to accept the change. The warm light, no longer filtered by a brown haze, felt good as the rhythm of life came and went in the peace. In the nests and burrows, stories were born about the disharmony that once existed, particularly during the warm season. Leaders of the various flocks, herds, and burrows when The Silence came, were thought of as gods. They gladly accepted this role and took credit for The Silence in exchange for gifts from their newly acquired subjects. If a self-appointed god died, his power was passed on to a new leader, who was then thought of as among the 'chosen ones.' The masses continued to enjoy The Silence and worshiped those they believed brought it about or those who carried on the legacy. Eventually, much of the life that existed at the time of the Great Day was forgotten. The new life accepted The Silence as a natural thing that came on a day from the past. They continued to worship and adore the leaders and those who descended from the holy ones, believing their powers maintained The Silence. Communities came together as fear of the dark path no longer separated them. Greens were greener and yellows yellower as the gift from the gods became routine. Time passed and the stories evolved into legend as the hills, cliffs, and valleys thrived. One dark day The Silence was shattered by a gust of air and a vibration in the earth. It happened too quick for the black bird to warn the squirrel who was leisurely crossing the wide trail from one burrow to another. A shrill shriek alerted the rest as the squirrel flopped around on the hard surface and became still. The creatures raced to their leaders in terror when they realized The Silence was gone. The rushes of air, rumblings, shrill shrieks, and metallic sounds were back. Communities were instantly divided. Birds fell from the air following impacts with hard objects. Dust suffocated the flowers and defused the light. Inedible things once again littered the vegetation along the trail. Panic followed and the dark trail became dotted with lifeless forms. The leaders stifled their own fears and accepted "tokens to the gods" from their terrified subjects. The ripples of fear went out to the farthest dens, nests, and burrows. What grave sin had they committed for the gods to take away The Silence? The creatures were told that a Great Sin indeed took away The Silence. At the time The Silence departed, the leaders used fear to obtain certain favors. They told their subjects to repent and worship them in the hope The Silence would return. Life in the burrows, dens, and nests came and went as the legend of the Great Sin quickly grew. A shrine was built at a newly-arrived wooden post, which stood at the edge of the dark trail. In the shadow of this shrine, the creatures would pause and gaze upon its mysterious markings. They left daily offerings to the gods. In the still of the night the leaders would gather these gifts and keep them as their own. Strife, loss, and confusion was now felt everywhere. All life continued to look in wonder at the mysterious markings on the post, thinking it was a message from the gods. The leaders interpreted the markings in many ways. Groups were formed depending on the prevailing interpretation. The leaders established ritual from this fear of the unknown in order to control the masses. One day, with great ceremony, the leaders took down the wooden post with mysterious markings and turned it into an elaborate alter. The creatures then continued to gather at the altar and look upon the holy markings with reverence. Try as they may, they would never solve the mystery of the markings: THE SLIDE HAS BEEN CLEARED - HIGHWAY ONE IS NOW OPEN. |
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