The Tragedy of Sunmelt
From the Spinner’s Writ
Like all of the People,
Sunmelt had been taught
to perform the Rite of Mandate
every day to receive the blessings
of the Children and to avoid
ill luck and tragedy
The fear of the Children
had been impressed upon Sunmelt
by her parents at a very young age
lest her obedience falter
and her failure summon
ill luck and tragedy
Sunmelt, full grown,
on her own, keeping her home
growing the food and building her life
neglected the Rite of Mandate
through forgetfulness
and life overwhelming
She performed the Rite
on most days without thought or care,
but other days were bereft of the Rite,
expected punishment never arrived
and was forgotten amidst work
and life overwhelming
Wicked thoughts
troubled Sunmelt’s mind:
the lack of tragedy
revealed a lack
of Children!
Gods never seen
were gods never present!
Those not present
are those inexistent!
Presence is proof!
Punishment is proof!
Absence is also proof.
Should the Children
truly exist, yet care not for
her performance of the Rite,
then it is fair to say that
daily feigned forgetfulness,
intentional neglect,
would also reap
no punishment
And so it began:
Sunmelt abandoned
the Rite of Mandate
Five days passed
with nary a concern, but then
tragedy descended upon her
Sunmelt’s house collapsed,
the walls caved in
the roof fell to the floor
She fell while trying to rebuild
landing on her arms
breaking both
While resting and healing,
a colossal wolf seized her
by the waist and shook
her so violently that
her spine was broken
and she lost use
of her legs,
whereupon the wolf
released her,
unable to move,
only screams
Sunmelt lingered
laying in the sunshine
on a clear, cloudless day
while neighbors rebuilt
her house
A bolt of lightning
struck a tree nearby
throwing Sunmelt
to the ground
Her eyesight
was taken from her
Blind and unable to move,
Sunmelt repented,
begging the Children
to restore her sight
and strengthen her limbs once more,
she screamed the words of the Rite
hour by hour
day by day
ignored by the gods she neglected
until the time of her death
one year later