This is an interesting short story, created by Dr. Carrington, inspired by the Star+Gate cards of the late 70’s and through the 80’s.
You can learn more about her discovery of, and intention for, these cards in her first published Star Gate story, Lessons from a Blue-Violet Butterfly.
During these times of change, uncertainty, and even great loss, this particular tale just might help to bring you some perspective, optimism, or even some minuscule sense of consolation…
(This story was born within one of Dr. Pat’s hand-written journals from decades ago and transferred to a Word document in late 2007. It was discovered earlier this year within the Carrington Archives, along with others that have yet to be included in the series.)
The Siphon (and the Phoenix) Short Story
A young girl was walking alone across the fields on the high roads and the by-roads. She was lackadaisical, thinking of nothing in particular, just ambling across the countryside. It was a windy day, and the wind whipped her long silken blond hair about her face. Repeatedly she wiped it away from her eyes and went on walking.
Then, suddenly, she heard a gurgling noise over to her left and turned to find out what was making the noise. It was immediately evident to her. There was a hole in the ground over which was poised a huge red siphon. The siphon was pumping powerfully and steadily. It was, she thought, much like the pumping of a great heart. The siphon was pulling debris, both dirt and gold dust, trash as well as nuggets, from deep within the earth. A monumental clearing out was going on in the field, and it was happening alone, unattended, and for who knows what purpose.
The girl stopped to watch. She had nothing better to do and besides, she was interested. “What could possibly be the purpose of this?” she wondered. “Why out here in the middle of nowhere is this cleaning out and clearing out going on so vigorously?… It must be going on day and night. It seems like a dedication.”
She stood still, waiting to see what would be brought up next. There was much mud and debris, many sticks and stones and useless stuff, but then she saw someone’s wristwatch being brought up from the depths. And then, a little girls bow ribbon, part of a half read magazine, an old shirt, and a battered hat… slowly spewed from the siphon. These were followed by more sticks and branches and debris.
“It’s as though human lives were coming up with the junk” she mused. “As though part of everyday life itself was getting cleared out and thrown away… I wonder who those people were. I wonder where they went…”
As she stood, mesmerized by the steady, impersonal pumping, she realized that anything and everything was getting thrown out, and that had there been diamonds and other treasures there, they too would have been brought up and tossed out without hesitation.
As she was musing about this fact, she heard another sound. This one was even more compelling. It was the whir and flutter of wings that came from someplace nearby.
Startled at this unexpected sign of life, she turned just in time to see a great bird, a golden feathered bird, take off and fly away. It was a bird of soft and elegant plumage, with thick luxurious feathered wings. It had apparently been startled from its hiding place in a nearby thicket, and now, with a whoosh of sound and then a silent but powerful flapping of wings, it was rising into the air above her and slowly began to circle the siphoning project.
The young girl was fascinated. This bird was an unidentified species and truly it seemed made of gold, as the light slithered over its elegant wings. Clearly this was no ordinary bird, if it was a bird at all! It was beautiful, impressive and strong, and as the bird slowly circled above her, mounting into the sky, it clearly seemed to be headed for the Sun, into the Sun, almost…
“I know. I remember reading about it,” she thought.
“It must be the Phoenix,” she whispered to herself, “the Phoenix rising from the ashes.”
For it was becoming clear to her that this remarkable bird seemed to be related in some fashion to the siphoning operation.
All those trifles, all those objects of every conceivable kind from all those long forgotten lives — those myriad things that were being discarded — had somehow acted to free this bird and allow its proud spirit to begin its ascent. It seemed to the girl, as she fancifully watched, almost as though the siphoning had created the bird, had made space for it to evolve and return into being.
She only watched the bird now — the dull sound of the siphoning was no longer interesting to her because the bird’s presence was so compelling. She kept watching as it soared with its great wings spread gracefully in gold shimmering splendor against the pale sky.
The wind blew in strong gusts and as it did so it bore the bird aloft, carrying it into ever higher realms. The girl found herself smiling and waving to the bird. Remembering phrases she had once read somewhere, she called out to the bird as she waved. She cheered it on in its graceful ascent.
“Hail to you, Blythe Spirit…” she called out to the bird, “Good journey to you. Bon Voyage –!”
The girl screwed up her funny little face into a delighted half smile. This event had made her day. The day had meaning for her now, even the siphon’s hard work seemed friendly. She could continue on her way differently, now, because she had seen this event.
“We have to leave things to make space.” She said to herself. “Lots of things have to leave to make that space — and then comes — the Phoenix!”…
By Patricia Carrington, 2007
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Note: If you’ve read any of Dr. Pat’s previous Star+Gate short stories, you may have noticed that these cards appear new. (For the previously posted stories, she would scan the cards on her printer and send them to me for inclusion in the posts – she insisted they be included!)
Certainly, these cards are not from her original deck, which is, sadly, not available. However, I was determined to find a set so that her remaining stories can finally be published (as she would have wanted them presented). After much searching for these rare cards, in mid-March I finally found a barely used set of the cards, and they were, surprisingly, quite affordable, as well! It almost felt like a “divine intervention.”
(While putting this post together, I wanted to refresh my memory about the Phoenix — now I believe it was just that.) 🙂
Having known Pat for many years, I was able to determine which cards she had picked from the deck that spurred her imagination for this particular novella.
I hope you find some value in this story, as I certainly have…. if so, please kindly share it with others!
Warmest wishes,
Lynn M. Johnson
Some of the Siphoned Items
Other Popular Works by Dr. Patricia Carrington
Make My Choices Magical Journal
