The Oracle of Sophia

The Oracle of Sophia

I am so dog tired. I have finally caught up with the Gypsy Caravan just as it is about to depart for the House of the Serpents. As I crawl into my caravan wagon tonight, I see that a bag has been placed next to my bunk. It has my name on it. I quickly unfasten the ties and begin pulling out the bag's contents.

It is a bewildering collection of items. I turn each object over in my hands, examining them, wondering to myself what I will possibly do with them: a pair spectacles, a candlestick, a tiny anchor, a medallion with the imprint of the Unicorn, a map, and a pair of red Italian stilettos.

The last item I pull out made me catch my breath. About the size of my fist is a highly polished sea snail shell, overlaid with iridescent abalone. The swirls of the shells are inlaid with silver wire and on the point of the shell is a small emerald. As I pause to examine the intricacies of the shell’s craftsmanship, I hear a faint sound. Was it the crash of faraway waves or the rush of a sea breeze? I put the gilded shell to my ear. I did not hear the sea in the shell. Rather, I heard a single word: “Go”.

Lori Gloyd (c) April 29, 2006. Image created in Photoshop 7 especially for this post.