Memorial Shadows

“What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
That’s what on the weathered concrete plaque in front of Col. Steele’s statue. His memorable words, leading the military coup to victory in 1805. The start of an era of accountability in government, sown with seeds of lies. Standing for truth, while hiding the white tangles of deception.
The memorial’s young guide ushering the group unto the next artefact noticed me mumbling to the stature. At the next point he doubled back to stand right by me.
‘Hello, Aby?
My shocked look gets a response. Pointing to my shirt tag “It says Abigail, its a nice name”. Shifting his darkening gaze upward to the mounted statue. “What he did made us better, in so many ways but why so many lies. Destroying to rebuild from ashes. He destroyed his family. My Family. Tearing apart with his words as easily as he blinded his nation with crimson salvation.”

My mouth agape for lack of words as he left my side to shepherd the tourists round what i now know to be his grandfather’s memorial.


The Dinosaur Wars: Duren Hill

pleisiosaur_
‘A lone statue stands on Duren hill overlooking the old battle plains of my era. A testament to the victories of science and the truth of the price we paid in blood. In our haste to conquer history we resurrected the dinosaurs, designed to obey and bred as pets. We invited our predators with open arms, and before long they outgrew our hold.’
The scene of mayhem we watched in history class today seem like forever ago but when my grandfather a Duren Veteran tells it I can smell torn flesh, feel the fear and see endless blood in the fields.