NaNoLiPo2018
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eseyffarth
Nov. 01: Avoidlipo - Final Day On A World That Was Known To Us
I'm taking part in Nanolipo, a month of writing with constraints, starting with avoiding glyph 5 of our Roman glyph array as folks do on an instantiation of Mastodon: Oulipo.social.
Our small group of compatriots sat around a big amount of burning wood as a ghoulish - man? Animal? Spirit? I'll just call him ghoul for now - approaching and startling us, said: "Congratulations on burning this. What say you to my favour I would grant you in thanks: Taking you to my own world, which I would gift you as your kingdom, ruling which shall fall to you."
I saw two of my companions glancing awkwardly around, finally murmuring in unison: "Did that sound fabulous or what?" Soon all of our group ran its mouths with words such as: "A world of our own!" "This world is nothing but shit!" "And a world of our own, with us ruling - that wouldn't go to shit, as this is only our old ruling class's fault."
Only I said nothing. It was truth: This world was, sadly, shit, if not, our band of siblings-in-loss would not burn altars for a warmth missing from our soul and body for months now. And plainly summoning ghouls by our actions. I was instantly suspicious our ghoul had not told us all his conditions, as bargaining ghosts do.
Finally I brought forth: "What kind of world is that, apart from yours, and soon ours, if you and our group draw up a contract? A cold world in ruins such as this? A hot world that would burn us? As you glorify burning so much?"
Our forthcoming ghoul said: "Oh no! Not at all. You would find astonishing comfort in my world. As you say, your world soon. A world that has your songs shining through dark, your imaginations nourish and your thoughts sustain you. You would not only stand tall as its monarchs, I would turn you into its gods! Gods want for nothing."
"What is its drawback?" I cut in. I could not stand him rattling off his world's boons without any confrontation from anybody.
"This is its only condition," said our ghoul, "that you will not say an individual sound again, nor mark its symbol."
A cry burst out from all of us: "What symbol? What sound?"
Our ghoul's laugh rang out maniacally. "Isn't it obvious?"
Oh my! What a captivating and astonishing story! I'm still giggling about your pals saying in unison "did that sound fabulous or what". And going from how it looks, you did finally transition to your ghoul visitor's world, huh?
