Aphelion Issue 293, Volume 28
September 2023
 
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Riddle of the Pyramid

by Botond Teklesz




The Maya dreamt that he was on the run. The thing got close to him, but the last minute he always managed to escape. He reached a cave in his dream, and knew he was cornered. With a yell of terror his eyes opened and he was awake.

He felt he must do something about that dream. He knew he had to visit the Dome of the Spirits to get some relief. It was a burial place, where all the village gathered once in a year, and goats were sacrificed for the peace of the gods.

But he was forbidden to go there, as he was only looking forward to his Ceremony of Maturity. He knew if he was caught there by someone, they would cast him away from the village. But he had to take his chances. He had last heard the Voice there. And the Voice comforted him. It was peaceful, calm, and it told him he needn't run anymore.

At nightfall he sneaked out of the village and went for the Dome. That place wasn't called this way for nothing. It was a huge, round gallery inside of the biggest pyramid mankind has ever built. No one from the village knew since when the pyramid existed. It was there and people feared to go nearby.

The night wind blew coldly over the plane covered by dry, dusty grass. It had been an unforgiving summer. Many goats were prepared for sacrifice this year, as there wasn't a drop of rain for months, and the beds of the springs were petrified.

He reached the spot, after an exhausting walk for miles, he sat down and tried to light a fire. Something moved next to him, before the immense pile of stones, and he slid back, sitting with his knees drawn up to his cheeks. He heard footsteps and he called out, but nobody answered. He moved a stone with an instinctive gesture of fear, without ever realizing his gesture.

Suddenly, a sharp light came from the top of the pyramid, and a huge stone, that seemed to be a gate, slid aside with frantic noise. He was looking inside the Dome now, and he saw a spinning sphere of light about the level of his head, in the air, changing into all colors. A calm voice came from the sphere: "Welcome!"

Neh-Na, the boy of thirteen was never seen again. But we can find that pyramid still there, and some old folks have heard the wind whispering his name.


THE END


© 2014 Botond Teklesz

Bio: Botond Teklesz is an English single major Hungarian by mother tongue. Botond says of himself "I love to write and to translate. I am a fool for Sci-fi and have read most of Bradbury and Asimov. I mean Hamlet is great but it never made me laugh."

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