Sequel: Phosgene ›
Status: ***This is fiction. All characters, including the narrator, are fictional characters. Any resemblance between any characters, mountains, or demons, and any real people, living or deceased, is entirely COINCIDENTAL (thank you, Alanis). ***
Katie and the Ice Cream
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Phosgene scanned the skyline. The terrain was more or less flat, apart from the two mountains in the East. She could see the sun rising up from behind the Ice Cream. The frozen landscape seemed to glisten as the sunlight hit the icy world.
The cloudless sky was a pale, ethereal blue, a colour so delicate that it looked like it had been painted with watercolours.
Behind her, the lake shone as blue as a sapphire. It was an icy, almost inhuman colour. Whenever she looked at it, she felt like she was looking into Lucifer’s eyes. She knew that he was right, there was something about the lake that drew people in. It was so beautiful. How easy would it be to sit there, beside the lake, watching it forever?
With immense effort, she forced herself to avert her eyes from the water. The only trees that seemed to grow around the lake were pines. The hoar frost coated each and every needle, making them shine as if made of silver in the pale morning light. To the west, beyond the lake, the world seemed to disappear into a haze of fog. The landscape was more or less flat. The two mountains in the East were the only objects that broke the skyline.
The Ice Cream was so tall and pointy that Phosgene wondered if she would prick her finger touching the tip. To the left of The Ice Cream, Katie stood, strong and solid. Although technically taller than the Queen, its solid, flattened appearance made it look less threatening. But Phosgene knew that looks could be deceiving.
Shivering, she made her way to the edge of the lake. She was starving. Lucifer was right, she would never make it across the mountains without food or some dry clothes. But where would she find these? the world appeared to be deserted. The only other person was Lucifer, and he had disappeared.
Phosgene remembered what Lucifer had said about his mother. She wondered who she was and why she couldn’t remember her. She had no memory of being thrown into the lake, although it must have happened. She wondered whether any of it was true. If so, why had Lucifer pulled her out?
Through the trees, she could see a gravel road disappearing into the woods. It appeared to head East towards the mountains. It was the only road she could see, and it appeared to be leading in the right direction. She had no choice but to follow it. And so she began. Had she known at that point what her journey would entail, she might have chosen to throw herself back into the lake instead. Lucifer had said she was either very brave or very stupid. Although she didn’t know it then, it turned out that she was both.
The cloudless sky was a pale, ethereal blue, a colour so delicate that it looked like it had been painted with watercolours.
Behind her, the lake shone as blue as a sapphire. It was an icy, almost inhuman colour. Whenever she looked at it, she felt like she was looking into Lucifer’s eyes. She knew that he was right, there was something about the lake that drew people in. It was so beautiful. How easy would it be to sit there, beside the lake, watching it forever?
With immense effort, she forced herself to avert her eyes from the water. The only trees that seemed to grow around the lake were pines. The hoar frost coated each and every needle, making them shine as if made of silver in the pale morning light. To the west, beyond the lake, the world seemed to disappear into a haze of fog. The landscape was more or less flat. The two mountains in the East were the only objects that broke the skyline.
The Ice Cream was so tall and pointy that Phosgene wondered if she would prick her finger touching the tip. To the left of The Ice Cream, Katie stood, strong and solid. Although technically taller than the Queen, its solid, flattened appearance made it look less threatening. But Phosgene knew that looks could be deceiving.
Shivering, she made her way to the edge of the lake. She was starving. Lucifer was right, she would never make it across the mountains without food or some dry clothes. But where would she find these? the world appeared to be deserted. The only other person was Lucifer, and he had disappeared.
Phosgene remembered what Lucifer had said about his mother. She wondered who she was and why she couldn’t remember her. She had no memory of being thrown into the lake, although it must have happened. She wondered whether any of it was true. If so, why had Lucifer pulled her out?
Through the trees, she could see a gravel road disappearing into the woods. It appeared to head East towards the mountains. It was the only road she could see, and it appeared to be leading in the right direction. She had no choice but to follow it. And so she began. Had she known at that point what her journey would entail, she might have chosen to throw herself back into the lake instead. Lucifer had said she was either very brave or very stupid. Although she didn’t know it then, it turned out that she was both.