What Lies Beyond
On Sunday, the blue door is tightly shut, no sign of life.
On Monday, the door is slightly ajar. From somewhere within, a violin.
On Tuesday, two beautiful eyes peer out at me – one gold, one brown. The violin sings an invitation.
On Wednesday I bring armfuls of flowers, an outpouring of my exuberant youth.
On Thursday, the eyes are filled with tears. The violin sounds jagged, like broken glass.
On Friday, the two eyes, the violin, the deep blue door – all are gone, leaving no trace. And I, I have suddenly become a very old man.
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Very mysterious. I feel Saturday would be a no-go area, and you’ve got me feeling my age because it’s Friday today. I am wondering about the gold and brown eye, and you have certainly made me wonder about the door or what lies behind.
I’m as mystified as you, Susan. This story came to me almost full-blown, and now I can try to unravel it a little. I know the eyes were inspired by a photograph from thirty-seven years ago, the famous photo of the young Afghan refugee. Her eyes were green, not brown or gold, but those two eyes have haunted me (and millions of others) for many decades. The power of a pair of eyes … My cat has one brown eye and one gold eye, so that mystery is solved. As for the rest …??? Thanks for reading and thanks for commenting!
This is so intriguing Juma. My romantic heart imagines a story of love and loss. You leave me with so many questions, a sense of sadness and a faint hope for Saturday.
Hello Linda! As I told Susan, I’m still figuring this one out. Now that it’s published and I’ve read it a few more times, it seems like it could be an allegory, with each day of the week being many years. I kind of like it as a mystery, though, that takes place in less than a week. I was absolutely fascinated by the picture of the door, which seems to fairly reek of mystery and intrigue. No easy answers behind that door! Thanks for your feedback, which is always valuable!
The story is full of a mysterious vigour and artful symbolism. Excellent Juma!
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Thank you Dipayan!
You’re welcome.
I wonder what would happen on Saturday. Very artistic yet very intriguing. You are a very talented writer, Juma.
Thank you so much, Lotchie!
You’re welcome.
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This is a brave piece of writing Juma, especially knowing that it also holds in part a mystery to yourself in this part – dream like story…… ”Blue Door” – perhaps feeling blue (sad) in yourself about the image, and is the door, the door to that past event?
Juma, isn’t it strange, after mentioning the word sad to you, I get an email from a site that I am on, and this is what it said…………When you say someone is tall, you mean they are long of body or leg, right? Lanky, towering, Brobdingnagian? Well, that might be true now, but the word “tall” used to mean something completely different. To be tall in the 15th century was to be “handsome”, “elegant” or even sometimes “skillful”. And the word “sad” used to mean “firm” or “resolute” long before we started to use it to describe feeling blue. These are two of five common words that have evolved over time to mean something completely different.
That is so interesting, Eric! Words are so rich, with so many different meanings! As to blue meaning sadness in my story, I never made that connection. I was just mesmerized by the picture, from Chefchaouen, Morocco where so many of the streets, doors, and walls are that wonderful deep blue. Some say all the blue represents peace, safety and the power of heaven. Others say the blue reflects the sea. The Jewish immigrants who started the tradition associated blue with God and Heaven. I guess no one really knows why Chefchaouen is so blue, but every time I see any picture from the Blue City, I’m inspired to write! Here’s a video about this incredible place:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L56iwtieyyo
One more thing: Some of us who came from ZenGarden were introduced to Chefchaouen back in the fall of 2019, with a picture prompt entitled “Blue-White Stairs”. Back then I just looked at the picture, and thought it must be from Greece. I was inspired to write this story:
https://voice.club/story/fiction/13603/story-photo-flora-2019-01-the-gardener
and also this one:
https://voice.club/story/fiction/8654/story-photo-flora-2019-01-secrets-of-the-blue-alley
I finally did research and found all the fabulous information about Chefchaouen. Now it’s one of my favorite places for inspiration – armchair travel, only, with the help of the Internet!!
Thank you for the videos Juma. I must confess, I have a trait, where I often see the humour before other things in stories, and such. I’m sometimes told off for being a bit flippant, though I swear I’m not. (where are you going with this Eric?) I’m getting there Juma……) I was going to say when I watched the video on Chefchaouen – I just imagined going into the paint shop and saying – I’m going to paint my house, what colours do you have?
And the assistant saying, we have a nice Blue! Right lets get back to being serious.( I don’t get that Eric? How is that funny?) Moving on quickly….Stories can often tell us about the writer, and I see that colour plays an important part in your life Juma. Do you paint? Or does it come to the fore because of your gardening?
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Your story is very intriguing, Juma. And your comments make it even more fascinating. When you mention the eyes of the Afghan refugee, they are so clearly in my mind. As you, I would like to see the story as an allegory, with each day symbolizing a decade. And even if the outcome seems sad, there is always the hope for the last day of the week.
So, Christer, you also remember the eyes of the Afghan refugee – after so many decades. The power of a pair of eyes, of a mysterious blue door, of an allegory … I don’t find it sad, even though I don’t think Saturday or even Sunday will bring a new outcome. It’s all part of the rich experience we call life, or humanity!
Juma, I also got the impression that one day symbolised a longer period of time, possibly years. Maybe the eyes were of a lover or friend who was no longer there towards “Friday”. The lack of a line for Saturday certainly leaves with me a feeling of hope that something good will happen. Isn’t it amazing that each story can take a turn in any direction from where you left off? I love the mystery in this one. Well done.
Thank you so very much, Marianna. You might enjoy reading a few of the previous comments above this one, especially the one to Eric, which includes a video guide to the Blue City in Morocco!
A fascinating story, Juma, full of mystery and other-worldliness. I personally don’t hold out much hope for Saturday. This does not seem like it should be a story with a happy ending. Nonetheless, it’s very beautiful, and seems to encompass a great deal of human experience.
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I agree with you, Julie. Happy endings are not always necessary, in literature or in life. Maybe we become deeper without always being rescued at the last minute (or the final day).
This is a brilliant story. I love how you used the days of the week to progress and reveal a little more each day. It was such a mysterious story and left me pondering.