Here's another creative fiction piece I wrote for my class - the second one required. It's a little unconventional, but hopefully that's a good thing. Also, because I'm sure people will ask, this is not autobiographical. It could definitely be taken that way, but this is not my life story. OK?
0:
The Fool – beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit
The man begins
life as a young boy, free of the world’s darker influences. The world rests
before him, to be taken one day when he has grown. He decides his future with
childlike impunity.
I:
The Magician – power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness
The boy goes to school
to learn about the world around him. The knowledge he gains of math and science
and history will one day serve him well. He is still young, however, and he is
only beginning to learn how to change the world around him.
II:
The High Priestess – intuition, mystery, higher powers, subconscious mind
Obstacles and
outside influences send the boy into a contemplative state as darkness begins
to intrude upon his life, through himself as well as others. He continues to
learn both in school and on his own time, developing interests and values to call his own.
III:
The Empress – fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance
Through good times
and bad, the boy’s mother is always there for him. She cares for him when he is
sick, and shares in his pain when it becomes too much for him. Through her, the
boy learns to care for others and to be cared for in return.
IV:
The Emperor – authority, father-figure, structure, solid foundation
The boy seeks to
mirror his father, to become his equal. His father teaches him discipline, to separate
right from wrong and choose accordingly. The boy comes to understand the
importance of a leader, although the burden of such a task still escapes him.
V:
The Hierophant – religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs
As the boy grows,
his interests draw him toward similar people, and he begins to make friends. The
boy cares for his friends and strives to be well-liked by them. He also grows
closer to his family; aunts, uncles, and cousins whom he hadn’t given much
significance before grow more prominent in his eyes.
VI:
The Lovers – love, union, relationships, values alignment, choices
In middle school,
the boy – not quite a young man but nearing it – undergoes a change as his
feelings toward certain people begin to deepen beyond mere friendship. This
frightens him, but through encouragement from family and friends he chooses to
pursue these feelings, despite the struggle. His mind, though still youthful,
has begun to deepen.
VII:
The Chariot – control, will power, victory, assertion, determination
Many things are
going well for the boy. He is learning much and performing well, in school and
in life. Many of his schoolmates know who he is. He is content, and he hopes
that this part of his life will last a long time.
VIII:
Strength – strength, courage, patience, control, compassion
As high school
begins, some of the people for whom the boy has special feelings begin to
notice him – perhaps in time they could develop feelings of their own toward
him. Despite his uncertainty, he feels a wellspring of hope form within himself.
He may be inexperienced in romance, but he feels that this is something worth
pursuing.
IX:
The Hermit – soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance
The
boy’s feelings pull him toward each of his special ones, but which one should
he choose? Those close to the boy lend him their support, but ultimately he
must lean on himself in his time of indecision. He ponders on his problem for a
long time, seeking a solution that will satisfy himself.
X:
The Wheel of Fortune – good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point
Having made his
decision, the boy confesses his feelings toward one of his special ones… and
receives reciprocation. He enters a new phase in his life, anxious but also eager.
With this change, the young man feels older and more mature than ever before.
XI:
Justice – justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law
The young man and
his other continue their courtship to mutual satisfaction. Obstacles come into
view – opportunities for unfaithfulness – but he remains faithful.
XII:
The Hanged Man – suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice
As graduation
nears, a parting rears its ugly head. A disagreement concerning college and
future plans turns into a conflict between the young man and his other. Emotions
run high, and words are spoken that prove unretractable. The young man and his
other find themselves at a loss for their next step.
XIII:
Death – endings, beginnings, change, transformation
Although tears are
shed and caring is acknowledged, the young man and his other part ways. The man
goes off to college to pursue his dreams, hoping that distance will help in
breaking the shackles binding him to his past misfortunes.
XIV:
Temperance – Balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning
Slowly, the wounds
of the past scar over, and the man forges new bonds and finds new meaning in
the place that he has chosen. Life, for the moment, has reached another peak.
XV:
The Devil – bondage, addiction, sexuality, materialism
The man faces temptation
in the form of another. He remains stalwart in the beginning, but as time wears
on his resolve weakens, and ultimately he surrenders to their advances.
XVI:
The Tower – disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation
When the man’s new
other proves to be not what they seem, the man is left overwhelmed and
rudderless. He realizes that he had placed far more into their relationship
than the other, and with all of it gone the man isn’t sure what to believe in
anymore. He falls into a depression.
XVII:
The Star – hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity
The man’s downward
spiral continues until the end of the year. As he returns home for the summer,
family and old friends reach out to him, to lend him their hands and hearts. He
rejects them, but as time wears on their words slowly reach him. Hope is
rekindled in his heart.
XVIII:
The Moon – illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity
As the man
recovers from his previous state, he becomes aware of his behavior for the past
months and is repentant. He fears retribution from those he loves for how he
treated them, and without meaning to pulls away from them once more.
XIX:
The Sun – fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality
At last, the man
realizes and receives the forgiveness of his loved ones – including his first
special one. Regretting his recent foolish decisions, the man makes things
right with the ones he loves, and the future shines brighter for him than it
has in a long time.
XX:
Judgement – judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution
Now in his right
mind once again, the man seeks a future that belongs to him. After some
searching, his reignited passions light a path to a future that he feels is
right for him. He creates a new plan toward that light.
XXI:
The World – completion, integration, accomplishment, travel
With his new
course through life plotted, the man sets out toward a future brighter than
ever before. Although he has experienced much pain, he chooses not to forget
that pain, but to keep it for when he needs a reminder – a warning against a
darker fate. He knows not what surprises life will have for him in the coming
years, or even the coming weeks, but the knowledge that he has yet stayed the course
grants him determination, and he walks with head held high and hope ablaze in
his heart.
