A piece for Al Forbes’ Sunday Photo Fiction.
copyright Alastair Forbes
The Golden Circle
“He’s the king.”
“We can’t trust him.”
“But he’s the king.”
“He killed eight people.”
“He’s the king.”
In the nation of Vallakha, there was no way to remove a monarch. He was installed by God and was above the law. So when King Jerome III began roaming the palace halls, killing servants and courtiers, there was intense discussion about to what to do.
“Execute him?”
“Impossible.”
“Imprisonment?”
“He controls the prisons. Nothing is higher than the king, except God himself.”
“Nothing but God . . .”
On the first day of summer, the king was imprisoned in his bedroom, surrounded by golden bars, which were blessed and made part of the Church. His guards were priests. His rule remained absolute through the whole nation, except for a circle, four inches wide, that surrounded him.
The Green-Walled Tower 
December 15th, 2013 at 9:55 pm
so much so,,,,
December 15th, 2013 at 10:15 pm
NICE!! A great version interpretation.
December 15th, 2013 at 10:43 pm
Thanks. 🙂 When I saw it, I thought of immense power, contained by a thin cage.
December 15th, 2013 at 11:07 pm
It came across as that as well 🙂
December 16th, 2013 at 12:12 am
Oh, how very clever! I can’t say more than that, well done!
December 16th, 2013 at 2:15 am
Brilliant use of the only power higher than the king! Great take on the prompt!
December 16th, 2013 at 7:59 am
Splendid photography
December 16th, 2013 at 9:16 am
He should know better than to kill – that is god’s preserve, or didn’t he know.
December 16th, 2013 at 11:27 am
I think maybe he was a little insane.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Excellent story , David.
December 18th, 2013 at 6:54 am
Certainly a GWT instant classic!
December 18th, 2013 at 11:55 am
Ooh, I like this. A king caught in a gilded cage. This is a great take on the prompt!
December 21st, 2013 at 7:40 pm
Thank you. I liked the irony of it.