The Golem

It was just another summer’s day. The sun climbed wearily into the clear azure sky. Birds twittered in the rattling grasses tousled by the teasing wind. The young boy skipped down the silken sand to where the sea toyed with the shingle. Standing at the foaming edge of the cool waters wiggling his toes in the tickling surf. Giggling he kicked at the sea sending a myriad glistening jewels into the shining sun filling the air in front of him with their dancing effulgence.

The young boy looked down through his bright blue eyes at the emerald green weed that tugged at his heels. Its long slippery surface shone brilliantly from among the foam and pebbles that rattled together like a jostling crowd. The boy dropped to his knees pulling the greed weed from around his feet where it coiled and twisted like a snake. Shaking it in his hand he smiled as the droplets of the ocean landed cooly on his skin.

Out to sea, no more than a silhouette against the bright sun, the tall ships waited with their sails rolled to the mast. The young boy sat splashing his hands softly in the foaming edge of the sea his eyes locked on the tall ships that had been waiting at anchor for many days. His young mind wondered at the possibility of invaders and what they might be like. Would they be like the mountain people short and hardy, gruff to speak but kind at heart. Or maybe, he thought standing to attention; they are like the men of the north, fierce warriors bent on conquest.

Drawing a long breath the young boy closed his eyes listening to the rhythm of ocean. The soft breaking of the retreating tide. The playful rattle of the pebbles and the soft drawing of the coarse sand around his feet. As he imagined a smile curled the corner of his mouth and stole a march across his tanned face. A soft breeze played with his hair as his mind reached out to the world around him.

Pebble rattled on pebble, stone upon stone forming before him feet, large knobbly feet. The sea swirled and eddied around the feet drawing more and more stones up upon the growing form. Ankles twitched into place lifted by the living sea that that dully obeyed the will of its young master. Shins, then knees, huge bulging thighs of clunking rattling stones lifted into place by the ocean that ran over the new creation like life giving blood. Hips and a chest like the hull of a rowing boat spread out like a billowing sail. Arms flowed out from the massive shoulders that ground into place like miller’s stones grinding out the grain. A huge barrel like neck supported a head too large for any natural beast. Two deep set black eyes opened blinking in the bright sun. An enormous wet mouth edged with flint lips cracked open and voice like the rattling stones on the retreating tide spoke with gravel rich tones.

Submitted at the April 2011 meeting