City of lies…stones of truth

The city was beyond what I could ever have envisioned.  I’d heard of it’s grandeur, but this? This is like a movie scene in s sci-fi film. I can’t wait to tell my family about this. I knew it would be great. The rolling, massive storm clouds behind the skyline seemed quite fitting.  The sunset would be spectacular against the black, shining onyx of the buildings.  These buildings were amazing testaments to the men who built them. Impressive doesn’t even begin to describe the ornate details.  They’re all connected and similar-built with the same majestic-looking black, shiny material. The words that came to mind when looking at the buildings was strength, beauty, and craftsmanship.  People could be seen gazing upward-always talking about who crafted this building;how long it took to build and the controversy behind each one.  Each made with beautiful, black onyx. Expensive, I’m sure. Strange though, I went inside wanting to go up and see the view from the top of the buildings. They were massive in height and I was sure the view would take my breath away.  But once inside, I saw there were no elevators. No going beyond the first level.  What then towers above and why?  What good is a tall building that you can’t even climb. No stairs? No windows? Only towering, black spirals into the sky? It is impressive from the ground. No one else complained and no one seemed to mind the looking up from the ground. I did.  I wish I didn’t, but I did. I walked and looked and walked and looked. I came to the outskirts of the city and began to see meadows, with mountains behind.  Familiar, like a friend, this was to me. Little streams making their music, nourishing the wildlife caught my attention.  In the field, were people.  They were so ordinary looking; sitting on the ground, digging with their hands.  I turned around to look once more at the spiraling towers of the city and the buildings had changed shape-pretty weird, but kind of impressive too. Seemed magical. How can that happen? I turned again to watch the digging people. It looked so hard. I’m tired. I remind myself that I came to the city for fun. I should go back because I’d much rather be laughing in the city having fun,right?  But I can’t stop looking at the people in the field. What could be worth this effort? I’m intrigued. No one dug in the city. But of course,why dig, when you can keep looking toward the tops of the black, shining grandiose? And then I heard the diggers talking.  I saw a white rock they pulled from the earth; rubbing clean. It was so very plain compared to the city scape. Pretty, but plain. They held the rocks to their chests like treasures, looking silly, if you ask me. Then a woman spoke to her child “you see, my dear, this is what you will need”…”I know it seems like the city possesses all you will need. It seems that it will always be there, but see how it changes every time you look? That’s because it’s not what you think…”  I listened and wondered at what she meant.  I had traveled so far to see the splendor of the city and now I’m torn. Why was I drawn to the diggers? It didn’t make sense.  Then the sky began to glow with the setting of the sun.  Things started to change behind me.  The city that was just minutes ago, filled with laughter and bright lights, started to go as black as the buildings.  I could hear crying.  I could feel their fear. I turned to see the black, onyx-like substance of the buildings soften before my eyes.  It seemed as if the buildings were melting, like lava falling, dripping into the streets.  People were running and screaming as the darkness approached.  The diggers held their stones, looking toward the city and it was then I realized the value of the stones.  As the black approached, the stones the diggers had found begin to glow…the stones glowed light and iridescent; like stars in the night they shone.  I could see diggers holding little “stone lanterns” in front of them, winding their way on the path in the meadow toward the mountains.  They were prepared because of their digging.  They were already far enough away from the shiny, disintegrating city to be safe.  Was I? As the last of the suns rays fell upon my shoulders, I was desperately digging for my own stone-light.  I could have been in the chaos of the city had I not kept walking. I dug hard, hurting my hand, ripping my nails, I have to get it…I have to…There it is. I found it!! My treasure. As the buildings dripped and fell in the distance, I saw the ground beneath begin to glow.  Buildings made of black, putrid lies were laid on the foundations of truth stones…the truth had always been there beneath the black.  I grabbed my stone and ran toward the most beautiful path in the mountains-toward home.