Have you ever had to conquer yourself? I have. I annoyed a wizard one time and she took me out of myself, made me miniscule and said I would be restored if I climbed myself.
My first thought was, “Thank goodness I wore such long trousers.” I didn’t dare look further than my shoes initially and, well, I’ve no idea how I would have scaled my sole. Instead, I was easily able to climb onto the very bottom of my trousers and began the ascent.
Really it was not so bad, just a very long climb. My clothes meant it was like a very big ladder. Sure, it was tricky moving from trouser to shirt and the change in rung weave made it tricky for a bit, but it was fine. Plus, I didn’t move. With me not at home, my body kept statue-still, I had no worries.
Until I reached the top of my collar. From there, I had to jump to get into my hair. This froze me in terror for a time, it was something I didn’t even want to contemplate as failure would mean the end of everything.
It was a look down that convinced me just to go for it. Then rope climb after rope climb began. I’d never mastered it at school but, with my life depending upon it, it became surprisingly easy.
Once at the top, I made my way through the forest until I was suddenly at the appropriate point and returned to myself.
“Now, you won’t be doing that again, I’m sure, after all you have endured,” the wizard proudly announced.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I countered.
Foolishly, stupidly. You see, a wizard does not like to be told their punishment was not fitting, just, or well executed, even.
So she said, “You were meant to think about what you’d done,” and turned me, all and every part, miniscule instead. With no hope of a return.
Now I scratch out a life upon the floor of the wizard’s house, avoiding feet, furniture and mice, trying to beat them to crumbs.
And all because I sought to jump a few hurdles, to skip ahead with my wizard training, leaving me without even the wands (why did I not at least wait for the wands?).
I can do nothing now but live in the hope, where there is probably none, of a second return from the wizard’s spell.
My first thought was, “Thank goodness I wore such long trousers.” I didn’t dare look further than my shoes initially and, well, I’ve no idea how I would have scaled my sole. Instead, I was easily able to climb onto the very bottom of my trousers and began the ascent.
Really it was not so bad, just a very long climb. My clothes meant it was like a very big ladder. Sure, it was tricky moving from trouser to shirt and the change in rung weave made it tricky for a bit, but it was fine. Plus, I didn’t move. With me not at home, my body kept statue-still, I had no worries.
Until I reached the top of my collar. From there, I had to jump to get into my hair. This froze me in terror for a time, it was something I didn’t even want to contemplate as failure would mean the end of everything.
It was a look down that convinced me just to go for it. Then rope climb after rope climb began. I’d never mastered it at school but, with my life depending upon it, it became surprisingly easy.
Once at the top, I made my way through the forest until I was suddenly at the appropriate point and returned to myself.
“Now, you won’t be doing that again, I’m sure, after all you have endured,” the wizard proudly announced.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I countered.
Foolishly, stupidly. You see, a wizard does not like to be told their punishment was not fitting, just, or well executed, even.
So she said, “You were meant to think about what you’d done,” and turned me, all and every part, miniscule instead. With no hope of a return.
Now I scratch out a life upon the floor of the wizard’s house, avoiding feet, furniture and mice, trying to beat them to crumbs.
And all because I sought to jump a few hurdles, to skip ahead with my wizard training, leaving me without even the wands (why did I not at least wait for the wands?).
I can do nothing now but live in the hope, where there is probably none, of a second return from the wizard’s spell.
Written for the Light and Shade Challenge from the written prompt "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." - Edmund Hillary
That is a piece worth expanding - I wonder what on earth you did to deserve that! Lyssa M x
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