Madness in the Golden Age

Madness in the Golden Age

By Sarah Witham

October 20, 2018

Hazel walked across the courtyard and into the immense entrance, each step leaving behind a tiny golden footprint. It was a special curse, a present from her enchanted sister Emerald for her birthday. It was intended to bring attention and affection to Hazel, but the attention was rather unwanted and even, at times, hostile. Hazel was on her way to graciously thank her sister but request an end to the enchantment.

Emerald's fortress was overwhelming. From outside it appeared large but on par with the rest of the building facades in the political district. Upon entering, it was a huge, open, empty hall of marble. It was beautiful and stately, and absolutely, ridiculously unnecessary. Emerald was on a council with other enchanted, who worked together with political and government officials to make appropriate decisions. She was given a bit of free reign due to her powers and in return for their unabiding affections she promised to keep her enchantments within reason.

Hazel made her way to the elevators. She was aghast to find the elevators out of order and already in a bit of a hurry, she scrambled to the stairs. She slowly and methodically made her way up the 40 flights, a trail of sparkling gold prints behind her all the way. She was huffing and sweating at the top, but delicately continued her quest.

Emerald was in her potions room crafting another surprise. There was mist all about, colorful and wispy, sparkling and gleaming in the low lights of the room. Hazel entered and chatted with her sister. She went on and on about the footprints, about how lovely they have been. About how thoughtful and lovely her giant sister was. Emerald glowed green with the attention and affection, loving every second of the gratitude.

Hazel checked the door and thought she heard the followers. She knew she needed to hurry.

"Emerald I've been wanting to ask, would you possibly be able to actually end the enchantments? I've loved every second but feel that the attention I've had would be better directed to something else. I feel that it would be better for others to recognize you in your glory rather than me. There's nothing special about me and I think the attention is a little contrived."

Emerald's green glow faded and a cross look came upon her.

"You don't appreciate my gift?"

"No, no of course I do Emerald! I really, really do. You are so gracious and loving and powerful. I've enjoyed it immensely and I appreciate it. I just, well, you know me Emerald. I'm not used to being special or the center of attention and it's a little strange to me"

Emerald considered her for a moment. Hazel could feel the followers getting closer and the panic rose in her face.

"It's just that, I am followed all the time with people wondering about the footsteps and then I have to explain and I'm just not used to the attention is all. I don't know how to deal with hordes of people around me and I'm not used to having to budget my time to account for all the attention. You are so much better at it than I."

"Oh but Hazel it will grow on you. You will learn to be great like your big sister. You will rise to the enchanted."

Hazel was almost bent in frustration. She was exhausted from the trip up the stairs and across the courtyard. Her feet were burning and she could feel them ever approaching.

"Emerald I need you to take away the enchantment. Please, please take it away! You can make all the hazelnuts in the world golden to recognize me but please, please take away the footprints!"

"You shout these things in such anger!"

"Emerald no, no I'm not angry. Emerald I'm scared. I have to hide. I need to hide for a while that's all. I must get away and the footsteps, they make it impossible"

As Emerald began asking why Hazel must hide, in barged the followers. Emerald recognized them immediately in their military garb, their political pins, with their guns out and hostility on their faces. Hazel ran to hide behind her sister, golden footprints echoing her path.

"What do you want from Hazel?"

"Emerald, this doesn't concern you. Move aside and let Hazel come with us" the man who spoke was calm, obviously winded and ready for the pursuit to come to an end.

Emerald did not know why the uniformed men, the ones she worked hand in hand with, her neighbors in the political district, why they would come into her potion room with hostility towards her little sister. She was daft about the truth and assumed they came because they didn't understand the enchantments, didn't approve of the magic. She assumed they feared and envied Hazel and herself.

"Emerald protect me! These men have been following me, intent on capturing and abusing me!"

The men proved lie on their faces, but Emerald trusted her little sister. She reared up, her magic fingers in the air, and she blew across them. The wisps of color swarmed about now like bees, violent in the air and in the faces of the men, who coughed and swatted at the wisps, dropping their guns and their bodies to the floor. The swarm tangled together into a golden mesh and flew through the building in all directions, breaking glass to escape the marbled palace.

The wisps of color flew forth and entered into all the water of the earth. It fused with the drinking water and the oceans and met with the rivers and the lakes and danced along the rain clouds. The wisps flew about until no water on the planet was untouched. Mighty golden waves crashed along the shores about the globe, small streams trickled and glistened in the sunlight, still pools of glass made golden in a moment.

So began the start of the Golden Madness.