#WritePhoto Refraction

September 15, 2017 — fiction #writephoto, ghost, wizard of Oz

Patterns

When the light streamed through the glass we could see the patterns on the ceiling and the walls.  The old stairway stood at the center of the building.  It  was the grand entry to the upstairs office suite of the wizard.  Guests would be met at the front door by the secretary butler, then shown to a small waiting area to be announced to the staff on the upper floors.  When the bell rang the wizard was ready to receive petitioners.  The group filed up the stairs in silence, taking in the opulence of the place.  When they first got a glimpse of the altar they usually gasped in shock.  The wizard knew how to impress with all the right lighting and stage effects.

There was always a pattern.  The wizard demands tribute, or proof of loyalty in return for his miracles.  The petitioners start out on their quests for glory with full faith and a joyful attitude.  They return without figuring out to what or whom they owe tribute and loyalty. After much tribulation the wizard reveals himself to be a fraud with no power at all.  The power he endows is the lesson of the master trickster.  Once this lesson is learned, the petitioner has solid confidence in his own ability to find the right answers.

He still keeps office hours at the top of the stairs. Knock three times with the big dragon door knocker, and you can still be admitted to the chambers.  Make sure you ask to go home, and don’t get stuck in the holding pattern of illusion.  His game never changes.  Some say he is just a collection of habit patterns.  Others say he is a hologram. See for yourself, but set firm boundaries, or you may become lost in the reflections and refractions.

#writephoto

This is a piece that has been inspired by Sue Vincent’s weekly photo prompt.  In  her blog, the Echo, we gather to share impressions on one of her intriguing photographs. Join us by reading, commenting, or writing your own fiction or poetry inspired by this picture.