Foreshadowing

“A step. Just another step.” Allan urged himself.

He took it.

“And another.”

He took it.

“And another”.

He took another step.

Slightly chilled and uncomfortably wet, Allan had been trudging on in this fashion for over an hour now. His backpack wasn’t any help, and at the moment Allan was starting to suspect that someone had stolen the contents and replaced them with lead. He stopped for a moment to take a drink from his water bottle and as he did, his head strayed just slightly to the right. Just a bit too far to the right.

For a brief moment, a look of horror crossed his features. Abruptly he turned his head back toward the road and began marching twice his previous pace, closing his water bottle as he went.

“Allan?”

It was too late. Allan knew it was. Still, he pretended he hadn’t heard, and kept his steady, determined pace.

“Allan.” Logos annoyingly persistant voice tickled the back of Allan’s mind. “Allan, what was that to your right?” Logos voice was calm, but his tone demanded an answer.

“I couldn’t say, rightly,” Allan responded nervously, “didn’t really get a good look at it.”

“Allan, you looked right at it.”

“Oh.” Allan replied, noncommittally.

“And…?” the voice gently prodded.

“I told you I didn’t get a good look at it.” Allan responded irritably. Hastily, before Logos could prod him further he added “But it could have been, I mean I didn’t see it but if I had to guess…” Allan paused to gather his courage “It might have been some sort of ancient majestic and beautiful palace.” The last three words came out as a single stream of syllables.

Logos pretended to be surprised. “Oh my, how perfect! It’s just what we’ve been looking for, Allan!”

“Yes, but” Allan stuttered half-heartedly.

“Well why don’t we go up and have a look then.” Suggested Logos.

“It’s just that”

“Allan” Logos interrupted in that tone of his.

“It’s just that I’m already drenched from the rain and I’m”

“Excellent! That palace appears to have a very sturdy roof.” Logos mentioned cheerfully.

“It’s just that I’m so tired from walking, and we’ve already seen so many ancient majestic beautiful palaces today.” In response, Logos remained silent. Somehow, that was worse. Allan couldn’t argue with silence. He realized suddenly that without realizing it, he had stopped walking. Staring determinedly at the path in front of him, Allan took a defiant step forward.

“Allan,” Logos voice streamed through his temples, “Didn’t we just have this conversation?”

“Yeah. And when we went to that palace I spent all of my energy.”

“Okay, Allan. But when will you actually be in Pottsdam again?”

“Oh, don’t” Allan protested weakly.

“Never.” The voice insisted smoothly “You’ll never be back here again. Not in the next decade, at least.”

Allan came again to a stop. His shoulders slumped forward in a foreshadowed resignation. “You’ve seen many ancient majestic beautiful palaces today, yes, but you haven’t seen this one.” Allan stayed silent in response, but tilted ever so slightly to his right. “You’ll thank me, Allan, you really will.” Logos piped cheerfully. “Just a little bit of energy. It’s a bargain, really! You’ll remember this the rest of your life!”

And so it was that Allan began to trudge reluctantly, unevenly, toward yet another majestic, beautiful, and ancient palace.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I think that’s a good way to introduce an indescribable day of wonders. Not that I won’t try to describe them.