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Saturday, January 29, 2011

the quest for the golden cobra , or over the hills and into the mist

even numbered chapters by nooshin azadi
odd numbered chapters by rhoda penmarq

illustrated by rhoda penmarq

to begin at the beginning, click here




chapter 4: through the sky

.

princess atusa could hear the sky's fingertips 
playing an anxious tune on the trembling window
the expectant air in the room moved heavily around her face

she could smell something new
a blue bird darted through the gray sky 
shrieking ominously when passing by her window
on the shore the scene she'd been visualizing for months was taking place:
at last!
the thunder of her voice echoed in the dim room 
frightening the maid behind the door 
the tray of food was pushed hesitantly into the room
accompanied by the maid's shaky voice:
the queen personally will visit you this afternoon to inquire about the lost silver teaspoons
princess atusa's eyes inspected the loaded tray agitatedly 
when the door was locked once again 
she rushed to the tray and grabbed the small silver teaspoon:
the last one!
another thunder echoed in the room
she took out a bottle from under her bed
filled with a dark sticky liquid 
the silver teaspoon was bogging in the potion now 
sending tiny green bubbles into the air
un
deux
trois
quatre
cinq 
six
sept
seven drops of blood
dripping from her thumb
set the potion afire
she capped the bottle
 shaking it frenziedly:
this afternoon i'll be just a shadow!
thus commences the quest for the golden cobra 
that begins with her 
and ends with me
a bloody battle between the lamb and the tiger
and my weapon will be 
her ignorance

.








chapter 5: the blue bird

3 comments:

Dan Leo said...

I could've used some of that potion this morning...

Peter Greene said...

Hah! Atusa rules. Her kung fu is dark.

human being said...

to become a shadow, dear Dan Leo? ah... i understand...

dear Old Peter... as dark as a moonless night...

thank you both!