Short Stories Volume 1

"Her Temple"

Before man could even fish, let alone put clothes on themselves, many sacrificed different kinds of life forms to this deity. She was everything. A forest god. The giver of life and the destroyer. But when man began to civilized that same deity stopped being worshipped.

That is until ten thousand years later and a small child placed a tiny piece of candy on a stone that happened to be an altar.

This small child had no idea what she was doing. It was the most coincidental accidents ever to occur. She was on a field trip with the rest of her class who this year went to the beach to learn about endangered ocean animals. Being midday they stopped for lunch and snacks. She was in the middle of opening her candy wrapper when she noticed that her shoe was untied. Setting it down, she bent to tie it.

In doing so she remembered her dad who taught her how to tie her shoes in the first place. She felt sad and wished above all else that he wouldn't be sick anymore and that he'd come home from the doctor's. The moment the thought left her mind the clouds darkened, thunder rolled and the seas crashed against itself.

Getting scared she went to get her candy but couldn't find it where she left it. She didn't pay too much attention to it since the teacher began calling her name.

Later that day she was gifted with the surprise of her dad home no longer ailed with illness. Late at night she was trying to say thank you for giving her her daddy back so she can show him she knows how to tie her shoes all by herself but she didn't know who to thank.

When she finally fell asleep she remembered the place where she put her candy. Her dream then hinted to her that she had wished for her dad to get better. So when she woke up she begged her dad to take her to the beach again. After a week of begging, obligingly he took her until she found the same place again. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out two pieces of candy and placed them onto the stone.

"Thank you for making my wish come true. Here's more candy. I got the one you liked and another flavor so can have a different too. Enjoy!"

She didn't know that the goddess was watching her. In fact she was watching her since she woke up from her long slumber. She had to find the one who had awoken her. When the child dreamt, she sent a little message telling her that it was her who granted her wish. When she saw the child approach the alter again she was ready to accept the sacrifice and grant another plea.

What she didn't expect was the sacrifice of gratitude and generosity. Not only did the child not ask for something, but she brought her thanks and an extra token. She felt pride and marvelled at her little high priestess. None who had worshipped her before showed this kind of devotion. So she vowed to protect her at all cost. Her and anyone who would follow the high priestess.

And follow her they did. She came back with another little one. She told them how she had placed her candy on my stone and her plea was granted. So the next one did the same. Placing his candy, he silently made his plea. Gathering my energy and power I made it so it was granted.

Little by little, my small priestess brought more little ones to the alter. Each giving me more power and pride. Because just like her they made sure to return the next day or whenever they could to offer a thanks and an extra token.

Soon all the little ones that were with her the first day she visited me were surrounding my alter. They'd come individually on their own time but when they gathered all together there was hardly any room on my stone.

Some of their pleas made me laugh, other made me sad. Those that made me sad reminded me of my vow to protect them all. Not out of selfishness to never slumber again but because they have shown me love and devotion beyond compare. Despite being an all powerful goddess I felt to do the same. So when their pleas of help came to me I held nothing back.

Especially for my high priestess. In fact she make a plea without even making an offer or sacrifice and I would still grant it to her. Which is what I did. The first time I heard her was when she and followers wished for everyone to be saved from the this horrid storm that had arrived. One by one I heard them each asking me to save not only their loved ones but everyone.

The following week each of them came with a bag of candy and poured it on until it simply overflowed.

As the years passed my high priestess got older and older. As did the rest. But they always came back. They even brought little ones that looked of their own. So on and so forth. Eventually my little high priestess passed along. But I welcomed her into my resting place and named her former little my new high priestess.

With each passing year more and more little ones visited my alter, brought by the descendants of my original worshippers. And with each passing of the tide and moon I kept my vow to protect them.