Hiya. This is just a short story I wrote for the fun of it. It's a little cheesy tho, and I havent written much sence high school. With all the situations that have been happening in world and in the forums I needed something to take my mind off it. Some of the story is true, but mostly its fiction. Just wanted to add a few disclaimers so I wouldnt get flamed in anyway shape or form. Every character is fictional, except for Charlie. Imagine you cannot fly or teleport in SL (I know thats a tuff thing ta do but back in the day you either had to pay for a tp or lag-fly. I usually just walked, ehe). This story is not in referance to any situation that may have happened between people who have lived in or around Kissling during the time of the story, or after. So.. Enjoy
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The City of Kissling
- Lynnix Muse
Once apon a time, a tall moutain was unvailed. The land on top was baren and cold. Snow melted off the cap constantly. This provided the deep river bed with turbulant waves and rapids. From the canyon, the river gushed, feeding the surrounding regions with a fresh sorce of water. Many avatars were entranced by this jewel that towered over them. There had been new sims before, but none that could match the grandeur of Kissling.
Avatars came from everywhere to see the mountain, as well as grab a piece of the land. Few got their own spot before one avatar bought almost the whole mountain top. The Govener allowed the land to be bought in square pieces, while he owned a grid like pattern of land. He also owned the river bed, to ensure the safe keeping of SL's new mountain. Charlie Omega saw the opportunity to buy the bulk of Kissling land, so he took it. Many weren't happy with this because they wanted land as well. The land was arranged in such a way, that it was obvious this sim was designed with a purpose.
Charlie got many complaints at first for buying up all the available land on the top of the mountain. He let them know that this was not to keep the land for himself. He imagined a community of city dwellers, a hub of buissness and commerce, a great city of glittering sky scrapers to crown the towering jewel.
In a few days the layout of Kissling was already beging to show. The roads were paved, and the foundations of buildings were starting to rise. Many people came to be apart of this growing landscape. After a cupple weeks, devlopers finished their buildings. By the spring you could see how Kissling was becoming the dream Charlie visioned. All of the snow had melted, and flower buds were starting to bloom. The sun danced reflections off the glass, the shops boomed with customers, and people gathered for protests and picnics in the central park. Everything that Charlie saw for the moutain was comming true. But no one expected the outcome that was about to unravel.
It started slowly at first. People complaining about broken merchandise, car alarms going off, and a few birds slamming into the building windows.
"We've got to get a seismologist up here Charlie! We've got to find out where these earthquakes are comming from!" Avatars would pleed.
Charlie agreed completely. These quakes had disrupted his buisness as well. He was working on electronicly sliding curved glass doors, when a particularly ravishing quake hit. Needless to say, he wasn't very happy about the doors shattering. He searched for a seismologist. Unfortunatly, the closest one was at his vacation home in Federal, and it would take him 4 days to get to Kissling.
On the first day of waiting for the seismologist, two minor quakes hit as well as a third. The third earthquake devestated the northern city blocks. One building was severly damaged and the hopital's electricity was out. Charlie had the hospital staff evacuated to the near by theater, which was to be used for paitent care. Fortunatly no one was seriously hurt.
The second day was heartbreaking. The central park was the center piece of what Kissling stood for. The avatars of Kissling congregated, danced, planned, designed and laughed there. It was in all of their hearts and memories. Now, it would only be in their memories. The park was no longer a natural sanctuary, but a pile of rock mixed with disheveled trees and shrubbs. The fountain that depicted four mermaids showering water was now nothing more then damp razor sharp stones.
Residents of Kissling became restless. They couldn't bare to watch their homes, stores, and their beloved city as a whole to turn into ruins. Almost all of them decided to leave Kissling on the third day. They packed up what they could, and in many cases, what was left, and headed to Perry, Clara, and Boardman for solace. One brave avatar was left. He had to wait for the seismologist to arive the next day.
Charlie coughed as he sat on a slab of rock that used to be a side wall of the park. Three more buildings had toppled over that afternoon. The City Hall, The Park Vista Emporium, and his buissness complex that housed his apartment. Dust was thick in the air, and he could just barely breath. He tried to gain control over his coughing, so that he could get back to work. He was trying to find some supplies to last him the night.
Charlie dug and searched. He found a blanket, and a few good pieces of wood. He whent to the north side of the city to set up camp. That was be the safest place because the buildings that once shined there were all toppled over. He set his supplies down, then suddenly a flash of light blinded the side of his eye. He quickly glanced over to see that the sun had glimmered through the cloud of dust long enough to reflect a ping of light. He whent over to the source of the reflection to find a shard of the old gold dome that sat atop The City Hall. He lowered his head and turned back towards his camp. Before he could take a step he nocticed a familiar face on the ground, he knew exactally what it was.
Charlie dashed to the face exuberantly, almost triping over a large rock on the way. He scrambled to uncover the face wondering if it was still connected to the statue it once sat on top of. As he tossed huge chunks of stone aside, not paying attention to how much they weighted, he wished the statue was still in tact. His thoughts raced. The statue had sat atop The City Hall's dome. It was of a maiden who gave hope and joy to the people around her. He always looked up at her in the morning on his way past the park. He thought that with glow of the gold shinning around her, she looked like a goddess.
He knew if she was still in once piece she would bring hope and joy to the people around her once again. He needed something to be hopeful about. As he dusted off the last pebbles, bits of dirt, and dust he whispered with calm emotion,
"Kissling will be rebuilt."
He stood the statue up and slowly moved her to a safe spot for the night. The next day the seismologist arrived to see the whole city in ruins. Every building was down. Charlie whent over to the seismologist to greet him.
"Know how to make buildings that can withstand earthquakes?" Charlie asked.
75 years later the maiden statue sits in the central park.
A small plaque reads:
"The Maiden of Hope and Joy
She gave him light,
She gave him hope,
He gave us a life,
He gave us a home."
Ok so yeah - kinda cheesy? or only a little?
Lynn
