Custom Built

Ron Koppelberger

Custom Built

The sky sang in revolutions of orange flame, a frayed twilight bleeding indigo shadows. The wind whispered secrets to the gathering of excited spectators, a gentle caressing consciousness in the way of those who desire the rave of an awareness, the purity of an affected miracle, a dream made substance and given the wide-eyed expectancy of a wonting crowd.
The clearing was secured by the pines and the briar scrub of a sylvan wild, the only egress a footpath, dusty, well traveled and foretelling the end of the trail.
Sable Style stood poised in the center of the clearing, surrounded by the denizens of Houghton Common. He smiled and paced the clearing, back and forth, back and forth. The crowd tittered in anticipation and Sable screamed, “ Tis in the company of dreamers and saints, by the lords of magic and the love of those who dare to embrace, watch and be amazed!” He crouched in readiness and then he threw himself to the ground. Plumes of dust flew up around him as he beat the dirt with his flailing limbs. The crowd swayed and whispered as Sable grunted and convulsed. Finally, his excited condition abated and he, once again, stood before them. The crowd oooohhhhhed and ahhhhaaaaaed for a moment as Sable stretched his arms upward. His checks were smudged with dirt and he had grown a pair of horns, twelve inches each. His cloths hung in tatters about his frame. “ The blessings of Houghton be tenfold with the mystery of the horned angel; you’ll prosper and the needs of a generation shall be met.” He sang in softly sibilant tones. The crowd hungry for the promise hoisted the demon onto their shoulders and carried him in bond to Houghton Common.
In the rise of Sable Style, Sunday gave notice and the towns fathers, the merit of a generation in desperate need, unbosoming wont, were tried as common criminals and taken to the gallows post.
Sable, in reflection, spoke to himself in conclusion, “They found the law of beast and demon for the wont of a moment, a breath of fire, a living sin at the cost of their souls and the wont of a generation.” In retrospect he realized he was custom built by the age of ignorance.