Writing Experiment: Prologue, Part 1

Welcome to the Forge.  The Forge of Dreams.  From time to time things happen here. From time to time.  Although this is not the right word: there is no time, here.

Mostly though, there is nothing.  It might be inky black.  But that would indicate an absence of light, and there is nothing. It might be brilliant white.  But that would suggest a light source, and there is nothing.  Perhaps it is grey.  But that would give rise to the possibility of choice, and there is nothing.

Time passes.  Or perhaps it doesn’t.

What is this?  It is different from the nothingness that surrounds it.  It is a point of true light, bright, clean and demonstrably something. 

Time passes.  Or perhaps it doesn’t.

The point of light resolves.  It glitters, and scatters light all around.  As a consequence, the nothingness surrounding it appears to be much darker than we might have initially thought, although further away, the void is unchanged.

Time passes, or perhaps it…no, time really is starting to pass.  The point of light can be seen to be spinning, and in spinning is slowing down.  Time passes, and the point is resolved as a disc, still spinning.  Spinning too fast to see any details other than that it is a disc.

Time passes.  The disc slows down.  It is still indistinct, but it can be determined that there are truly two sides and each is different.  Both sides have pictograms. One side is golden, the other more of a silvery shimmer, but with some iridescence. The golden side might be depicting a jaguar’s head, or an eagle, or a cross.  Whatever it is, the image is crude, and the disc is uneven at the edges.  Amazingly, the other side is clearly much better made.  The edges can just be seen to be milled.  The image is just as indecipherable, but the lines are much sharper.  The rainbow sheen flows across something that could still be an eagle, but of a more geometric sort, or perhaps it is a rocket ship, or a robot…the coin spins on…

Time passes…

The coin appears to be slowing down…Heads or Tails…?

© David Jesson, 2019

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During 2019, I’m going to be undertaking a writing experiment, as described yesterday.

My plan is that this prologue will shape the story; installments of the prologue will come out daily for a week or so, and then I’ll revert to monthly chapters.  All through, I’m hoping that you’ll help me shape the story.  At various points, I’ll be asking questions with a choice of answers.  I’ll be polling on Twitter, or you can add a comment below.

So: Heads or Tails?  Golden or Rainbow-silver?

See you tomorrow!