The Gargoyle

A tried gargoyle reflects on its life

The gargoyle felt so, so sad and tired after the many years, as it gazed into the sunset, and watched the end of the day come. The beautiful show of gold and pink light in front of it was sharply marred by some tourists walking below, who stopped to talk loudly as they snap pictures of the old gargoyle. He sighed, and said to himself,

“ I was made by the greatest stone master out of the finest stone, to protect this building. He told me as he carved me, he said, always protect this great building, and your brothers, this is your duty.”  

Indeed, anyone could see how great the gargoyle had once been, but how it’s hunched shoulders seemed to be out of age, and its chipped clawed hands seemed to clutch at the stone ledge for support, in place of the way it had once peered over the edge, guarding watching those below. Its ear and one of its teeth had long since falling to smash on the street below. As the tourists moved on to the next stop on their long list of things do that day, the gargoyle watched them go. Lonely as he was, he felt no sadness at having them leave.  He remembered something else the master had told him long ago. “The people will respect you, and never forget what you do for them.” 

Do they remember? He wanted to wail into the encroaching gloom.  “Is that the reason my brothers have long since passed into that unforgiving sleep?”, but instead, he felt another wave of tiredness come crashing down. He pushed it back. 

“ No,” he said to himself “ I will not give in, for my master said it is my duty to protect this great building. It does not matter that the people who once kept us alive with their power of belief have stopped believing in us, and my brothers have paid the price, it is my duty, and I will not fail.” He thought as he felt another wave of tiredness come crashing down on him and the night finally fell. 

Reviews

[Icarus Ascendant]

Excellent, truly excellent. I live the imagery that it inspires as well as the reminder, that even in our hectic lives to remember the past and the stories and legends, after all who knows what's going to happen now, once that last gargoyle descends into that unforgiving sleep.