The Great Crocodile
This is our future, this is our past, the unending circle of the ages. The mill of the gods turns slowly, and we are merely chaff to them. Just as Tereth and Akeeah were thrown to the great crocodile God, Matee, we are thrown to the wind, to be consumed by the endless passage of time.
For wasn’t it as the first man, Tereth, once said, “We are but as nothing to the great Crocodile, who devours our days and consumes our nights.” Did not the first woman, Akeeah, reply to him and say, “But quiet, my husband, for Matee is always but a moment behind, quietly stalking us in the darkness, hounding our days.”
This is our future, this is our past, just as the shining face of the Disc looked down upon Tereth and Akeeah and their seventy two sons and frowned, does he not look down upon us too and ponder our destruction. Hide, O people, hide and cower in fear. Cover your faces in shame, for Matee returns once again to devour us.
Flee to the hills, to your roof tops, turn your tools to weapons and prepare. For Matee will turn your brothers against you, he will confuse your hearts and set them against one another. In your fear and doubt he will come and you will be consumed, the great Crocodile will swallow you whole.
Your children he will eat up and spit out, only to devour them again. So beware, O people, for like Tereth and Akeeah you will be destroyed. For you are their children, and their children’s children, and the Disc has set himself against you. He sends his servant Matee to pour out his wrath against you.
O people, despair, for your end is at hand. Throw up your arms to the Disc and plead for mercy. Mercy will not come. Only Matee, only the end will come.
Rivka Jacobs
I almost started to write a similar piece, but you’ve done it much better. I was going to go all “ancient Egyptian gods” but I like this much better. A lovely simulation of an ancient civilization’s prayer to some terrifying god, with just the hint of satire. It reminded me of GHOSTBUSTERS when Rick Moranis describes the advent of “Gozer the Traveler.” Also, a takeoff on all those sword-and-sorcery games out there. Very enjoyable.
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Nicolas Papaconstantinou
WAY behind on my commenting – if not my reading. This is a bit of an oddity, and as such it’s difficult to know what to say about it, beyond that it has a lovely authenticity and quirky tone to it that makes it fun to read.
Is it part of some greater mythology that you’re thinking about, or just an experiment?
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