Fiction Friday: The Stranger and the City
Istiqlal (Independence), 2 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Friday, February 8, 2008 about 4:16 PM PST
She stood on the edge of the old city, watching as the colonist removed the stones, which had made Armphor’s walls. As they removed the stones to use in their own buildings, the Earth Colonist watched her as well. Finally, after two days of watching, she approached the foreman of one of the work crews.
“Do you know what city you are destroying,” she said pointing to the city, “or do you even care?”
“We have no choice,” the foreman’s brow winkled, “our excavating equipment doesn’t work and we need shelter before the coming winter.”
“You didn’t answer my question, do you care what city you destroy?”
“Yes,” the foreman studied the stranger’s features, the woman could easily pass as the wife of any one of his own crew. “Each work crew has three artists making detailed drawing of the stones and their locations; we number the stones so that we know where they were found in the walls. If we can, we will replace the stones, in the walls. We take only what we need and no more.”
“It is good that you care, because those who built Armphor cared nothing for this planet or its past and the planet destroyed them. The stones you are taking formed the walls of an older city, higher on the mountain. When the builders of Armphor came to this planet, they destroyed the inhabitants of that city and took the stones to construct their own fortress. It did not save them from the planet’s vengeance. You and your people may be more fortunate, Earthman, but only if you respect the planet’s native inhabitants.”
“And if we don’t,” a chill ran up his spine at the look on her face.
“Then I will pray for your soul and the souls of your people, Earthman,” with those words she turned her back on the city and walked back down the mountain toward the river that flowed through the valley.
Word count = 325
She stood on the edge of the old city, watching as the colonist removed the stones, which had made Armphor’s walls. As they removed the stones to use in their own buildings, the Earth Colonist watched her as well. Finally, after two days of watching, she approached the foreman of one of the work crews.
“Do you know what city you are destroying,” she said pointing to the city, “or do you even care?”
“We have no choice,” the foreman’s brow winkled, “our excavating equipment doesn’t work and we need shelter before the coming winter.”
“You didn’t answer my question, do you care what city you destroy?”
“Yes,” the foreman studied the stranger’s features, the woman could easily pass as the wife of any one of his own crew. “Each work crew has three artists making detailed drawing of the stones and their locations; we number the stones so that we know where they were found in the walls. If we can, we will replace the stones, in the walls. We take only what we need and no more.”
“It is good that you care, because those who built Armphor cared nothing for this planet or its past and the planet destroyed them. The stones you are taking formed the walls of an older city, higher on the mountain. When the builders of Armphor came to this planet, they destroyed the inhabitants of that city and took the stones to construct their own fortress. It did not save them from the planet’s vengeance. You and your people may be more fortunate, Earthman, but only if you respect the planet’s native inhabitants.”
“And if we don’t,” a chill ran up his spine at the look on her face.
“Then I will pray for your soul and the souls of your people, Earthman,” with those words she turned her back on the city and walked back down the mountain toward the river that flowed through the valley.
Word count = 325
Labels: Fiction Friday, flash fiction
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