Black Rainbow

[beautyofgrey]

An entry for week 1 of therealljidol.

The beast pushed his large snout through the tall grass, eyeing the headlights in the distance. He could make out the cab’s glow from afar by sight, but he didn’t need to. The night was damp and thick, and the road told him everything - he could feel the truck’s engine thrumming heavily over the earth, the vibration of

Comments

[baxaphobia]

Wonderful entry! It's so good to read your writing again and also to reconnect!

[beautyofgrey]

Thank you! Same to you! It's been a really long time!

[furzicle]

Hauntingly beautiful. And it is so much more majestic than the usual references one sees to the Rainbow Bridge.

[beautyofgrey]

Thank you!

[drippedonpaper]

Is this a reference to Cerberus, dog of the Underworld?

Its a very creative take, a harvesting of souls. You are great at using all the senses, including smell to place us in the story. Smell is a hard one for me to use but is so.effective.

I admit, the older I get, my favorite line is: "the throbbing hitch in his back leg finally ceased. "

What a blessed relief in death that nothing hurt or ache anymore. I really like that thought.

I am glad to see you back in Idol!

[beautyofgrey]

Hmmm....yes and no? My initial idea was around the mythos of the Black Dog as guardian or guide in older folklore, and I think specifically around the myth among American truck drivers. (In some tellings he is more of a ghost or an omen than a creature of the underworld, I think, but if sighted, he portends a terrible accident). And I wondered what reasons such a creature would have to exist in that legend and what his purpose might be. So I also thought of Cerberus along those lines, but Cerberus is more than dog and I think more of an aggressor/renderer of souls, rather than a shepherd of souls. So he is not Cerberus, but I guess he could potentially be a distant relation. There are so many renditions of the black dog story, I thought it would be okay to let it play out/stand under its own mythos...

And yes, I like to think that death is at least a sweet release from suffering.

Thank you! It's so nice to see so many folks still around and playing!

[bleodswean]

Lovely! I was engaged throughout...wondering if The Beast would be beckoned home. He seemed ready to lie down for a while. The "bridge" was a nice touch.

I especially was affected by this - Sometimes he could feel the fear and impatience of those that followed him as they traveled. It seeped into his joints, an abrupt metaphysical ache.

[beautyofgrey]

Thank you! I like to think that he is attuned/open to all the energies around him.

[tonithegreat]

Hooray! I’m glad the beast gets to rest. That sounds like a rough job.