She felt the soft touch of the wind against her skin, carrying with it the smell of baking bread, the promise of civilisation, the threat of retaliatory violence. She knew the importance of the work she did here, the one-day promise of another society, embraced into the fold. Unite and conquer, that was the goal; to unfold the myth kit and prepare these barbarians for the return of men and women long-forgotten. The rocketeers would return, eventually.
Her name would be forgotten. Her work here would not.
The sky blazed, tangerine, eternal. Overhead the wind tore into the cloud-banks, twisting and rending them into the caricatures of old gods, soon to be abandoned. She had been working on overdrive to transform a world full of the bombastic energy of youth into a society of whispered words. Into a civilisation. Trying to infect their dreams with an all-conquering yet mild-mannered god.
Trying to recreate medieval monasticism on this far-flung world.
Before bed each night she checked her chameleonic camouflage. Each morning she hid again, spying on these people – she couldn’t show herself, couldn’t reveal what she knew about the universe, about their future. “It’s out there!” she wanted to scream, she wanted to shout, she wanted to be noticed.
Each night she scanned the skies, waiting for the rocket she knew would never come. Each night she swore and cursed at the heavens. Each day she kept her promise.
Until one morning she walked into their village. Tired of being alone, all she wanted was some company, some humanity from these aliens.
They burnt her as a witch.
The Bible isn’t just about the gentleness of Jesus.
“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.” Exodus, 22:18
Written for this week’s Trifecta Writing Challenge prompt Infect (to contaminate, corrupt: to work upon…so as to induce sympathy, belief or support.) I also managed to squeeze in some BeKindRewrite prompts (Myth Kit, Overdrive and Unite and Conquer) as well as (for the first time in a long time) a Sunday Scribblings prompt It’s Out There. Comments and criticism always welcome!
Finally, a consistent writer of flash fiction. Many thanks
gotta’ be wary of those Old Testament types! Liked your sci-fi missionary approach with the twist.
This is beautiful, dark, and awesome.
I am not a religious person.. I connected with this piece and I enjoyed your vocab.
Took me a second to grasp this one. Interesting concept; very Martian Chronicles. Great imagery!
The language here is fantastic, very poetic.
I’m going to have to read this a couple more times to work out what’s actually going on, but I love the feel of it and how the prompts are seamlessly woven in.
Thanks Elmo, let me know the end result!