Amon's Devastation

The garden was a beautiful place. A paradise amongst the chaos of the world. All around it luscious fruits sat plump and ripe. Flowers of every shade and hue bloomed, deer frolicked in the grass, bees floated lazily between plants. Birds insects and frogs hummed together to form a melodious ensemble. A perfect unity had been achieved in this oasis. There were no weak, and there were no strong. All things lived and in due time, died. Everything was as it should’ve been. This garden was enjoyed by two young brothers. Their names were Amon and Vivi. They knew not how they came to be in the garden, nor how they came to be at all. But it didn’t matter to them. They were very happy as they were and had no need for questions, or answers for that matter. Amon liked to take care of the animals in the garden. Whether it was an injured bear cub or an ill hummingbird, he nurtured them lovingly. And when the old laid dying he would sit with them and nurse them to sleep. He loved every plant and animal. They loved him in return. Vivi was more playful than Amon. He would slide down waterfalls, and climb up trees. He would play with young pups, and racehorses down hillsides and up mountains and through caves. In him was a vigor for life. He brought joy and laughter to the garden. The two brothers carried on in their own ways for a while. Just how long, they didn’t know, as they had no knowledge of time. They knew only life, and death. One day as the two sat enjoying a string of grapes, a shape caught Vivi’s eye. Out in the distance, past the rivers and lakes, in the desert beyond, a shape was forming. As it got closer its nature became apparent. It was a group of people. Vivi’s heart began to race.

“Look, Amon. Visitors!” Vivi said excitedly.

“Visitors. I don’t think we’ve ever had any!” Amon replied sweetly, leaning to see what Vivi was referring to. “We must go and greet them.” Vivi nodded and they both sprung to their feet. Together they ran to the edge of the garden. Past hills, rivers, vast stretches of trees. In just a few moments, they were face to face with the people.

After an exchange of names, Vivi and Amon gave them a tour of their beloved home. Eager to impress, they displayed every nook and cranny they could think of to the newcomers. They even introduced them to some of the many animals inhabiting the garden. Every abundance present in the garden was made apparent. The people seemed pleased with what they saw, which made the brothers happy. The people were so pleased, in fact, that they decided to stay in the garden. Vivi and Amon accepted their offer without hesitation. They were happy to share with their new friends. There was enough to go around, after all.

At first, the people were a welcome addition to the garden. They played with Vivi and shared new medicines and technologies with Amon. They would sometimes sing jubilant hymns in the evening time, which made the hills vibrate with music.

But before the people, there was no time. Upon their arrival, the days became hours, minutes, seconds. The days grew shorter, and the nights longer. Before the people there were no squabbles, there were no tears. Amon discovered one night the bones of a bear. In ashes, the skeleton sat. He realized with horror that the people had killed the bear. For what reason he did not know, although to him there could be no excuse. Then later that day he witnessed a large man, burly and rough looking, wearing a bearskin. He fled, overwhelmed and in tears, much to the amusement of the people. With them came terrors he could’ve never imagined. Pride, greed, envy, lust, gluttony, wrath, and others more cruel and unusual. Evils which had never existed before.

It wasn’t long before more came. More men and women. Eager to take their fill of the fruits and greenery. So many came, each taking more than they needed. They grew fat off the reapings. The trees were becoming barren, and the ground dry and cracked. Vivi watched in astonishment, as all around him the garden became less. Animals grew irritable and hungry with less and less to eat. They began to turn on one another. Their hunger became insatiable, much like the people (now many) who had robbed them in the first place. Vivi felt his want to run and laugh wane. He began to notice how quickly everything was slipping away. He did not want to play anymore. So he left the garden. Off he walked, into the world. Without a goodbye or a wave. He was gone.

Without him, the many colors of the garden dulled, then disappeared. Only days after Vivi’s departure, there was none left. Only black and white, and some shades of grey.

Amon, now alone. Rushed to save what he could. But there was no room for him anymore. The animals he sought to help turned on him. Their claws tore at his flesh, reaching at the life inside of him. At a rapid pace, the animals died. Without fruit to feed off of, and with the incessant hunting which the people had begun, there were soon none left. Amon was heartbroken. So much so, that he began to cry. The tears streamed down his face in a torrent. He cried and he cried and he cried. The garden began to fill with water. Higher and higher the tide rose until every hill and forest was submerged. The rest of the world followed suit. A world which Amon had never known. The people crafted metal contraptions and machines which spewed black smog into the air. These machines kept them afloat for some time. But Amon’s devastation was too strong. The people were washed away, screaming and clawing at the relentless salty water which rushed around them. As they drowned they cursed the garden, they cursed each other, and they cursed themselves.

Only when the last person had been swallowed by the relentless tide did Amon come out of his stupor. The garden was gone now. And everything else as well. But Vivi was still alive, floating about in the ocean of Amon’s creation in a daze. Amon was alive too. At the seafloor he laid, sleeping soundly.

Centuries passed without event. Then, on some far off island, a sprout grew from the scarred earth. More life came too, coaxed into existence by the gentle reassurance of the sun. At the bottom of the ocean, Amon stirred. Vivi too was shaken from his slumber. Awoken by a new hope.

Lucas Davis, Grade 11

Short Story: Allegory

Creative Writing Major