The Garden of Worlds

A faint clap of thunder
Clouded skies
Perhaps rain comes
If so, will you stay here with me?

Yukari in The Garden of Words by Shinkai Makoto,
from Man’yōshū, Book 11, verse 2,513

1 – The Garden of Worlds, part 1

As the clouds start to gather ominously over me, I walk faster on this forest lane. I think I lost my way, and I might get soaked soon. Ahead, I spot a greenhouse. Intrigued, I can see potted blue bulbs from outside the window panels. Nobody seems to be there. I open the door and step inside. I leave my bag on the floor and look around. I come closer to the clay pots.

They don’t host plants. These are small planets. Is it a conservatory of worlds?

Fascinated, I reach to one of the tiny earths when an electronic sounding voice startles me.
“Welcome to the Garden of Worlds. You might think I’m a god cultivating multiple worlds. ” I haven’t thought of this at all, but, frozen, I listen. “You can call me the Gardener. You see, these globes represent different futures for Earth, but they’re drying and withering away. You’re the first person to come in today. Would you help me water them with your hope?”

Is it a metaphor? I relax. This person or AI doesn’t seem dangerous. I think about greenhouses, and how comforting they can be, however ruined the world might be around it. Whoever is watching me now, I will share these moments.

…. More on my blog OpheliaAutumn.com! The Garden of Worlds

The Centurion and the Fairy Queen

On my fashion / picture blog, you can find a new short story! It compliments some pictures taken by Marina Bratunova back in May, with Alexis and me 🙂

1 – The Peaceful Centurion

He walked among the ferns and suddenly, he was free. He had never felt that before, in Rome or on the battlefields, as his mind was always obscured by duties and punishments and blood and so called civilisation. But the clouds had just lifted in his head. He had only wanted to get away from the madness for a moment, or at least that’s what he had consciously thought. Now, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to fight anymore. Even though he had always been told that Rome was the epitome of progress, he had never hated the Celts or their legends. He felt more connected to the deer and luscious flowers of this magical forest than to his martial comrades and ceremonies for the Emperor.

…

Read the entire short story on opheliaautumn.com!