Crown

In his right hand, cupped in his palm was a small copper bowl filled with fragrant burning incense. As he walked toward the alter the smoke rose and danced in the air creating a screen across his tattooed face. His steps were patient and rhythmic, the hem of his red satin robe trailed behind across the mosaic floor.

He was oddly young for a priest of his stature or at least he appeared to be. I watched him closely as I stood behind one of the temple pillars. “If I were caught..., I thought to myself.” Well I don’t even want to think about what would happen to me if I were to be caught. Here I stood on a cool and cloudy night, some time between dusk and dawn quietly hidden in the city’s most sacred temple forbidden to all except the three high priests. I’ve actually never seen one of them up close. I, the orphaned son of a merchant would never be allowed such a pleasure. On the day of the sun when the whole city gathers to hear the priests decrees and prayers we order ourselves as such. Royal families up front, then keepers of the law, landowners, healers, soldiers and so on. Merchants and artisans find themselves far in the rear and the undesirables like myself could barely be seen. So understandably I’m a little overtaken by his beauty and extravagance, his stern face full of purpose. I don’t think I’ve ever known such purpose until today. On this eve my entire life could change.

However, I must stay focused. I spot the scroll that I have come to collect. A long papyrus scroll trimmed in gold covered in words of an ancient language I don’t understand. None of that matters to me though. What do words no one can understand matter anyway? And, a trim of gold is nothing compared to the three pounds I’ll receive for these old tattered scriptures. It is lying open on a large wooden table in the center of the room. At the right time I will crawl to get it, hiding beneath the tables and behind pillars. Thunder roars from outside the temple walls and drops of water can be heard splashing against the stone ground. This is perfect. The rain will help drown out any noise I may make.

The priest sits the smoldering bowl on a stand near the alter and picks up an adorned metal box. He then lifts out of the box a large wad of cloth and unwraps a strange looking object which he places on his head like a crown. A crown I’ve never seen any of the priests wear before the people. He kneels down and begins to pray. What a strange and mysterious world, the life of a priest. I could never live the majority of my days alone and away from the joys and excitements of life. To each his own I think as I begin to make my way across the large room. For a split second I feel a slight sense of guilt. Stealing from a priest, from a temple! How could I? “God forgive me” the words escape my lips in a low murmur. Nevertheless, the feeling doesn’t last long as I quickly resort to the memories of living in a dilapidated ruin with other hungry abandoned and orphaned children to which the priests shared none of their riches. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the floor tiles. Matted and soiled locks, ragged clothes draped across a thin but sturdy frame. “Not much longer, I think to myself, I too will have the look of a worthy citizen soon enough.” As I reach the wooden table the floor beneath my clammy hands start to shake and the ceiling above the priest opens up like two parting clouds. A bright light shines down surrounding him and in an instance he’s gone. I can’t believe what I am seeing. I close and open my eyes only to see the priest is still gone and the ceiling closing. I’d have to make sense of this later. First I must complete my mission and acquire the scroll, but to my surprise the scroll too has vanished into thin air.

Frantic I become, as I realize I have failed in collecting the scroll. What do I do now? This was my one chance out of poverty. The Shen, as the people call them, are a secret group of mystics that not many have seen; but all have heard of, and they only give one chance. They wouldn’t call on me again. I sit besides the wooden table, my face buried in the palm of my hands. I ponder how can I make this right. Is there any way to see myself out of this on top? Maybe there is something else of value I can offer to the Shen. I scan the room in search of treasure and there on the floor beneath the alter sits the strange looking crown. My entire being lights up. Surely this unique find will demand a fair price. I stand on my feet and slowly walk up to the alter to which the priest has just disappeared and pick up the crown. No jewels, gold or special carvings, just a copper metal band, open in the center with four thin metal strips sticking straight up from the top of it with small bulbs at the end of each strip. The interior lined with colorful strings made of an unfamiliar material. It doesn’t look like much but my gut tells me different. I’ve survived many dangerous feats by following my intuition and I won’t stop now. This could be my saving grace.

Before departing, I decide to try on the crown. “So this is what important men do.” I turn to the alter and mimic the priest, reciting his words. Giggling to myself, I stop my silly play. I don’t feel so different. “Crazy priest”, I whisper to myself, “what good is a crown and fine clothes without pleasure?” As I lift my arms to remove the crown the floor begins to quake and I fall to my knees. Above me the ceiling once again parts, opening up not to a dark and stormy sky as one would expect but to something I could’ve never imagined. The bright light beaming down upon me from the shiny black moon blinded me as I felt myself ascending towards heaven. “Oh, I’ve done it now, was this death or my greatest adventure yet.”