Prompt Perspectives

Son of Thor

(... and the words above are the actual words of the prompt)

'CRACK!' "BOOM!" "CRASH!" "SNAP!" "THWACK!"

It was happening all over the world, sending people rushing in panic from their homes and shelters and caves and humpies. All looked upwards in horror at the sky cracking into myriad shards of refracted light - from the sun in some places, and the full moon on the opposite side of the world.

A terrorised child stuttered to his mother, "Is th-th-th-is th-th-the Hen-n-ny P-p-enny s-s-sto-o-ory, Mu-mu-m-mummy? Is-is-is the s-s-s-ky fall-fall-f-f-f-all-ing?"

The mother hugged him tighter to her and tried to reassure him, but the terror was deep in her heart and soul, and she really had no answer to pacify him.

It had come like a bolt out of the blue. In fact, it had truly come with a bolt from the blue - and not just one, either. A number of great dazzling lightning bolts had near-blinded those who happened to be looking up at the time. Not a good moment for those who gaze heavenward to pray to their Gods. Many of them were reminded of the old saying, 'Be careful what you ask for, you just may get it!'

Many remembered only too well the terrifying day recently when a black shroud blotted out the sun, causing their world to plunge into total darkness for some five minutes, maybe more.

"It's the end of the world... " some cried, piteously.

"We're doomed... " grieved others.

Now something new and even more terrifying was threatening their very existence. Many asked what on Earth their World was coming to, these days. And many deeply regretted they had not given more; sacrificed more; been better humans; not cursed their mothers-in-law so bitterly; mowed the lawns yesterday before that huge, threatening cloud arrived and emptied itself in a deluge that felt like another Great Flood could happen; and much, much more along those lines from the lengthy wish-we'd-have-done's list.

Suddenly, a humongous and quite stupendous voice thundered over all other sounds, with the potential to make tall buildings sway - if there had been any (fortunately, this happened countless centuries before high-rise and the like would be invented).

"Who did this despicable damage?" Thor roared in a voice that shook more great deluges of water out of the clouds, almost mimicking the great rains of 'Noah's' flood fame. The 'should have done' mowers cringed even lower, uselessly trying to hide themselves like the snakes in the grass they truly were.

A small voice came from behind the mighty Thor. "It wath me Dad. Thorri!"

Thor spun around to angrily confront his boy (well, in actuality, his boy was almost a man now, shoulders still a bit narrow, but arms and thighs thickening, as was the fuzz growing on his chin and along his jawbones).

"How many times have I told you not to do burn-outs and wheelies with your sky chariot? Didn't I tell you it would all end up in tears some day? Now look at what you've done!" And Thor gave his son a cuff over the ears that sent him tumbling, head over heels, for several miles, then pinging him back (boomerang style) with his magical magnetic hammer he'd nicknamed 'Molly' (short for Mjollnir - aren't we grateful for the nickname?) that he had to hold with his iron glove, Jarngreipr (called Jars for short - and that would be the one Michael Jackson tried to imitate, countless centuries later - and (many thought) as it was with much else about 'Whacko Jacko' - an impressive show, but not much actual punch!)

Meanwhile, back in the mists of antiquity, Thor thundered (and this time it was not the usual thunder and lightning he generated when he was fighting the evil frost giants), "It's all very well to be sorry, Thorri, but now I have to do better than all the King's horses and all the King's men - and try to put the sky back together again. You're grounded, young man. For two centuries this time! AND you can be the one to pick up all the pieces. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times - when it comes to roaring across the sky in celestial chariots, you must never forget - whilst wooden wheels rumble, steel wheels tumble (across the sky, that is) and it's simply NOT ON!! Remember?"

And Thor scratched his head so hard, great flakes of dandruff and mighty nits fell to Earth, creating vast new craters and terrifying the populace even further. Now, it seemed to them, the sky WAS truly falling. Undeterred, Thor continued his tirade.

"Although all that glistens is not gold, much that glitters IS actually glass. You've heard of the glass ceiling, haven't you? Aaarrgh, you useless yobbo - just get on with the picking up bit. NOW!!!"

And it mattered not how Thorri sniffled and snuffled and rued his foolhardiness, he had to face the inevitable tough love his famous father dished out.

In true old-time storytelling fashion, there's a moral to this story, and it's this -

'IT'S BETTER TO BE THOR THAN THORRIE'