"Witnessing The Violence Of Atlan'

I had been surrounded by a group of people, of all races, creeds and colours. Some still displayed their part animal traits. Others had terrible mutations. In the visualisations I had found the actions and the words to express my love for them all. We were all equal. Separated only by the physical gowns we wore. Our minds were all one and all our thoughts were together. Earlier, I had been confronted by a dark skinned, brown eyed male who had blatantly prevented my progress in the visualisation. The male had striking similarities to my brother. The brother who had been totally brainwashed by our parent's views. The brother I still love dearly, the brother who I know has now been taught to hate me.

I had pushed the male to one side and had carried on making my way into the market place of the town Akrah had been describing. I had turned around once and watched as the male pull down a pale skinned woman and then kick her to death; all because she bore fish gills in her neck. The male had looked triumphant and had shouted to all how powerful he and his order were. They were ridding our society of the mutants that were making the food supplies scarce.

I watched in horror as a group of dark skinned males armed with crystal glass joined him. They then proceeded to attack a group of white skinned youths, because they too bore fish gills on their necks. There was a violent scurry and in the confusion I watched the first dark skinned male go down in a pool of blood.

By then a large crowd had gathered. In the crowd I couldn’t help but notice my mother and my father, both dressed in black gowns; their eyes filled with malice and hatred. In their left hands they both bore crystal staffs, which they raised in the air and then brought down hard on the ground with a loud electrical retort. They had then both looked up and seen me. I had known if I had stopped there, they would have murdered me. As I fled, I could not help but think they both looked drugged or brainwashed, as if some other force had a hold over them.

After a seeming age of running along twisting and turning narrow streets I came across a deserted market square. A different one to the last, but almost the same. Around the square was magnificent architecture. Clean white arches and pillars. Splendid gardens with flowers and small trees of every imaginable colour. Ahead of me the road led down toward the harbour. I was treated to a magnificent view of the temple isle. I was in a richer and more prestigious area of the town. I turned when I heard my name being called and noticed a female from the sister world sitting on a circular podium surrounding a fountain who was looking at me.

Extract taken from THE CHRONICLES OF EZRA - copyright Matthew James 1992