The City in the Sky
by
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Off to the right was a fair sized lake. Drinking or standing idly by the water were deer, elk, moose, raccoon, cougar, and several smaller animals I was unable to identify. Birds swooped above and into the water. It was a plethora of wildlife. I even saw some domestic cats and a few dogs sunning themselves along the rock ledges. A sandy beach interspersed with smooth rock ledges, ideal for sunbathing, surrounded the lake. I moved slowly toward the water, trying not to disturb the scene and scare off the wildlife. They seemed oblivious to my presence and continued to feed, drink, and snooze. I found a comfortable ledge and leaned back against the rock surface, stretching out in the warmth of the sun. Before long I had dozed off. I was startled into alertness by the sound of what appeared to be gunfire. It was impossible to determine the origin of the shots, but in an instant all the animals disappeared and the lake was unpopulated except by me. I didn’t see any dead or wounded animals nor did the shots recur. For the first time since I had climbed over the wall I felt fear. I crouched behind the rock and looked around. I couldn’t see any signs of the shooters but knew they must be human. I was both surprised and disappointed that other humans were here and that they would destroy the perfection of the lake scene. "How did humans penetrate this paradise?" I wondered. "It happens occasionally, but I can assure you that those who fired the shots will not see the sun set." I did not even bother to look for the source of the statement, since it was the voice once again. "If you will walk to the edge of the tree line, you will see what I mean." I did as I was instructed, circling around the lake and coming to the clump of trees on the far side. There were two men lying on the ground, rifles beside them. They appeared to be dead but the cause of death wasn’t apparent. I saw no wounds and no blood but their forms were indeed lifeless. Their eyes were open and staring, their mouths gaping as if in surprise. The whole impression I got was that they had been scared to death. I felt no desire to touch the bodies and was surprised to feel no compassion for them. "Who killed them?" I asked the voice. "Couldn’t they have just been sent away?" "Those who need to kill are not easily dissuaded. These trespassers came over the wall just after you. As a matter of fact, they may have been following you all the time. They have been looking for trouble since they arrived. I tried to persuade them to return, but the sight of the lake and all the killable creatures was too much temptation for them. They were unable to resist the urge to destroy even though they had been provided with adequate food and shelter. We have removed the poles so there should be no further intrusion. Unfortunately, the damage has been done and penalties must be paid. Humans who are in this land will also pay a penalty even though they may have been innocent. It is the way of things and I can’t stop what will happen." The energy of the voice faded away and I knew it was gone again. I wondered what the penalty was. I looked toward the horizon to see if the City was still there. It was, shimmering in the midday sun. So that goal wasn’t to be removed from me. As I pondered the voice’s words, a huge cloud came over the horizon and covered the sky. It was black and threatening and I felt great fear. Nothing good could come from it’s ominous presence. I searched around for shelter from the coming deluge but nothing was available except the trees - no cave, no rock shelter. I ran back to the spot on the beach where I had so recently been at peace. I picked up the few possessions I had left there. Just as I picked them up, the sky seemed to open and pour its contents on me. As soon as the first drops hit me, I knew it wasn’t an ordinary rain. It stung like an insect bite. The pain was intense everywhere a drop hit my body. The acid rain was destroying my silk garment and eating into my flesh and I felt a moment of panic. Where could I run to escape? I unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around me. The rain was unable to penetrate the blanket at first. I ran blindly back to the path, unable to see more than a few feet ahead. I pulled the blanket forward to shelter my face and particularly my eyes. If any got into my eyes I knew I would be blinded. This left my feet unprotected and the stinging rain was raising huge blisters on any exposed skin, causing unbearable pain. I ran down the path looking in all directions for shelter. None was available. "Voice, voice, where can I hide? I don’t think I can survive this pain. What did I do to deserve this? Please help me." It wasn’t long before I felt the first drops penetrate the top of the blanket and start to singe my hair. I tried to bunch the blanket more toward the top of my head but it was starting to disintegrate and I knew it would be a matter of moments before it was completely gone. Then I would be open to the rain and no doubt burned to death in an agonizing way. The pain and fear were too much to endure and I found myself stumbling toward the side of the road and falling under the sparse protection provided by a large tree. That was the last thing I remembered.
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About the Book
This book is a fable based on a fictional land where animals rule and humans are intruders. The principal character finds this land while searching for a vision she has seen in the far off horizon. The vision resembles a mystical city she remembers from childhood. She sets off for the journey on a horse and is dressed in armor. After days of traveling
She comes to a long and impenetrable wall but with help from the voice and emboldened by faith, she is able to surmount the wall and enter the animal land. There she encounters animals that have left the human land after being persecuted. She is surprised at their ability to talk and show emotions that are similar to those expressed by humans.
The animals she meets are many. First she encounters serpent like creatures that are called Drolls because they have such dry wit. They provide her with food, drink, and clothing. They do this at the direction of a mysterious Salinda. When queried about this strange new land, the Drolls disappear.
Next she meets a charming and multi-talented bear named Bruno. He is a gourmet cook, doctor, and philosopher extraordinaire. He welcomes our heroine and tells her his sad life story. Finally she meets David who lives with the wolf clan. But is he really a wolf?
Finally, she journeys to the City in the Sky, accompanied by her new friends and threatened by her new enemies. What she finds there is not what she expected.
About the Author
Barbara Lee Hoss was born in Bristol, Tennessee but grew up in Manassas, Virginia. She graduated from The College of William and Mary with a degree in History. Her eclectic career path included a stint with the CIA, real estate sales, and starting a real estate brokerage firm as principal broker. She spent two years studying prehistoric Native Americans at the Anthropological Library of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, culminating in a six-month cross-country journey visiting prehistoric sites. The legends of King Arthur lead to several visits to sites in England that are considered part of the legend. This book incorporates both the wisdom of the Native American and the search for the Holy Grail. It is her first book.