#WritePhoto Arch

March 8, 2018 — #writephoto, fiction, mystery

arch

We walked slowly and quietly around the long corridors of the old cloister.  The long deserted places of worship and daily devotion were kept in order by the town council.  Tourists and visitors climbed the winding drive from the village to see the remains of the famous monastery.  Religious ceremonies had gone underground in the last decade of the cultural revival.  New discoveries by researchers indicate that the last group of secret priests had gathered in this place to say the last rites for their church.  It was said they had burned all the literature in a great bonfire to keep it out of the hands of the invaders.  They held a great ceremonial funeral march under a full moon, then disbanded for their own safety.  Scattering to the four winds, the former religious leaders infiltrated society and took on new occupations in new parts of the region.

They took with them only personal amulets which they kept on their bodies, hidden from public view.  Any evidence that they had been part of any religion might have placed them in great danger, so they were cautious.  They never spoke to anyone about the past or their former associates.  They slowly drifted apart and forgot the importance of the rituals they had performed in the past.  They found new interests and new ways of seeing the universe.  They started to feel connected to new families and communities, forgetting the ideas they had held closely in the past.

As politics thaw and people once again look to find hope and unity, some say that visiting these old places of worship can bring peace and enlightenment.  We feel cool and calm as we drift down the hall, imagining what this must have been like when it was full of monks.  There is something about the light that feels serene.  The arches that open to the orchard frame trees in blossom, surrounded by wildflowers carpeting the ground. Enchanted beings are said to have taken over the spot after the invaders withdrew.  Some say you will observe trolls and wizards if you linger on the grounds after dark.  We are enchanted enough for one day, and take our questions with us back down the hill.  We wonder what religion really was, and how it has changed history.

#writephoto

This short story is inspired by this week’s photo prompt on Sue Vincent’s Echo.  Each week she publishes a new photo on Thursday.  Join the group to read, comment, or contribute your own poem, story, or essay.  The variety to be found in the responses is amazing.

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