Fiction: ‘Rotation’

Deep in a golden forest on top of an amber mountain lives a queen with violet eyes.

She watches the world mournfully, waiting for its end as she sighs and drifts forever closer towards slumber. Sitting on her agate throne, she dreams of endings and loss. Golden vines creep over her, their crimson leaves fading to a dull translucent grey that shows the skeleton within each leaf.

The sun rises late and sets early.

When it sits briefly at its peak, the sky stretches out around her mountain in shades of cream and grey. All the animals which live within her realm are small and furry creatures that make their homes in burrows, and are always rushing about as though afraid of the encroaching night.

In this land time is always scarce.

***

In a land of sweeping silver on top of an iron mountain lives a queen with leaden eyes.

Those eyes stare straight ahead as if frozen. Her gaze is indifferent as she sits like a statue in her granite throne. Ice encases the stone walls and floor of her palace, and icicles dangle from the ceiling with needle-sharp tips that draw ever closer to the ground.

The sun rarely shows its face.

Even noon is dark as the sky presses heavily upon the mountain and the clouds swell until they’re a threatening black. All the animals in her realm are ragged survivors. They sleuth through the snow, starved by the frozen landscape and always seeking something which may not exist.

The only birds are crows. Her voice echoes from her pallid lips in hideous tones as she caws at them in their language. They flap their wings and scatter to the naked trees. She sits very still, thinking of death and how similar it is to sleep.

In this land time always stands still.

***

In a glade of blossoming cherry trees on top of a jade mountain is a queen with emerald eyes.

She doesn’t look out across the land, but watches closely all the little buds coming into bloom and the blades of grass breaking free from the soil. Her eyes are aglow with hope. Sitting on her peridot throne, she twitches her fingers and golden dandelions spring from the grass.

The trace of a smile appears on her rosy lips.

Lush green vines grow over her throne, covering her with their fresh news leaves as violet flowers open around her.

The sun peaks shyly through the clouds.

When it does, the plants reach out to grasp at its warmth. All the animals which live in her realm are young and new, looking out at the new-born world with fresh eyes. They stumble upon the young earth, filled with curiosity.

In this land time has only just begun.

***

Deep in the overgrown wilderness on top of a clay mountain lives a queen with turquoise eyes.

Those eyes skim lightly across the scene before her. She sits back lazily in her throne of lapis, the cool streams trickling on either side of her through the veined marble of her palace floor.

The sun burns from its position in the sky.

An azure sky blazes with heat all day long, while the night radiates warmth from the overworked sun. All the animals in her realm are fat and lazy, spoiled by the plentiful food and rushing waters. They lie along the banks of the river, their coats glistening with health.

The birds are as brightly coloured as jewels. She screeches with them, the stupid nonsense of her high-pitched voice bursting from her rose red lips. They settle on her arms and shoulders, imitating her nonsense, while she thinks of how perfect and easy life is.

In this land time never seems to end.

~ Ekaterina