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neo codewordless wondersa seriespart IX

rumplestiltskin

copyright 2008 jpaul

ME: 37 years old. husband. father oF two. son of american draft dodgers. Canadian. business owner. tax payer. eschatologist. lover.

YOU: rumplestiltskin searcher. internet user. computer user. reader. typist.

rumplestiltskin2008

once upon a time...

the world was on fire

population growth had exhausted the planet

water was more precious than gold

oil was more precious than water

oil was as rare as it was precious

the priests of oil control its use

the oil police punished it’s misuse

one day...

an old oil priest

in a moment of forgetfulness

tells a newly powerful ancient rival

that his amazing daughter

can turn ordinary straw into oil

no sooner than the words are said

the rival lies to the high priest

the oil police are swiftly mobilized

the old priest’s compound is surrounded in the pre-dawn

there is a firefight

loyal guards out numbered

the casualties mount

among the dead is the old priest’s wife

the old oil priest is detained

his daughter is detained

in prison, she vows revenge

she is waterboarded, which is not torture

the high priest arrives, once she is broken

“what have i done? what do you want?”

“i want straw turned in to oil”

“i can not, i can not!”

“your father says you can.”

“once. i haven’t been able to repeat it.”

“then i leave you with two choices...”

“what are they?”

“fail and you and your father will die.”

“and the other?”

“succeed and we will rule as king and queen.”

“and if i refuse?”

“you and your father will be crucified side by side.”

and with that she begins to cry

“if you refuse to share your discovery, the people will want me to insure your death is long,

painful and humiliating.”

the priest paused before continuing

“civilization is collapsing. without this, everyone will

die.”

“you are so beautiful i would hate to have to kill you.”

“i would hate to watch my father die.”

“there will be no stalling. you have 3 days to produce the first

sample.”

and with that she is taken to the lab

first one day passes

then the second day passes

she has not succeeded in replicating the experiment in 2

nights that she has been trying to replicate for 2 years

she hears a cough and looks around

before her stands a man

“what will you give me if i turn that straw into oil?”