Narcissus’ Soul
I looked down into the pool and saw myself looking back. I stared, astonished, as that other self waved at me and then walked away. He climbed the trees and read quietly by the edge of the water.
I turned away and when I looked back, I was looking back at myself. Again though, that other me vanished and soon I saw the trees in the reflection ablaze. Then the other me appeared, holding a bloody sword, and sneered at me with wicked contempt. I jerked my eyes away.
The next time I looked, I watched my reflection build a castle of crystal and alabaster around the pool, its spires soaring up to Heaven. I could not tear away and watched as that other me built an empire of perfection greater than any human accomplishment. The majesty of it brought tears to my eyes.
I felt my strength fading but I could not look away and my final thought, before darkness overcame me, was how beautiful were the works of that other self, and how wonderful, how marvelous, my potential was.
The Green-Walled Tower 
March 9th, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Well done David some lovely layers in this story.
March 9th, 2014 at 8:24 pm
Thank you. There is a lot in here, a lot just hinted at.
March 9th, 2014 at 7:36 pm
Wow, I really like that. All the different possibilities, but, like Narcissus, would prefer to sit and watch and die admiring himself than doing what it showed he could.
Excellent story David.
March 9th, 2014 at 8:25 pm
Thanks, Al. Sometimes I have to think a lot to come up with a story but this one jumped out at me. This is a great picture, by the way. Is it from near Dover?
March 9th, 2014 at 10:24 pm
Thanks David. It is, it’s just outside of a 15th century abbey. The grounds there are beautiful
I love it when a story jumps out at you 🙂
March 9th, 2014 at 9:49 pm
Oh I quite enjoyed this (and not because I wasn’t murdered)….the imagery is wonderful. Wonderful story and it says so much!
March 9th, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Thank you, Anja, I’m glad you liked it. If I was going to murder anyone, it wouldn’t be you. 😉
March 9th, 2014 at 11:37 pm
Well thank you…I am glad to see there are a few gentlemen left in the world. 🙂 But be careful…kindness to me may end you in one of AnElephants tales.
March 10th, 2014 at 7:22 am
Bah, AnElephantCant kill us all. 🙂
March 10th, 2014 at 7:23 am
hmmmm…or can he?
March 9th, 2014 at 10:00 pm
You’ve pulled off a great idea here. A piece like this has the potential to be confusing, but you’ve written it very clearly.
March 9th, 2014 at 10:59 pm
Thanks, I’m glad it was clear. As you know, sometimes something seems very clear in your head but doesn’t come across that way to others.
March 9th, 2014 at 10:09 pm
Just a thought…you could copy paste this to your about section after your 14th book gets published. I believe!
March 9th, 2014 at 10:50 pm
Sounds good. I like your confidence. 🙂
March 9th, 2014 at 11:31 pm
Loved the Narcissus reference – this seems more hopeful than vain, though. Well done.
March 10th, 2014 at 7:25 am
I wanted to make it more about action than the original. Still, for the love of what he could have done, he wastes his real life.
March 9th, 2014 at 11:43 pm
You did a fantastic job on this. An affirmation through a watery plane ~
March 10th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
fantastic story David! very interesting analyzation of that story.
March 12th, 2014 at 8:38 am
I have spent a lot of time staring at my reflection but it has never been this interesting. I really enjoyed this.