NINE. three hundred word narrative

NARRATIVE. caged freedom

On what appeared to be just another normal afternoon at the Art Gallery of NSW, school children followed the booming commands of their teachers and marched out the temple doors in perfect order. The final remainders of the corporate slaves running the same old Botanic Garden route scooted past in memorised fashion.

But heard past the chatter, and grumble of car engines, an almost unnoticeable pop broke the routine, invading the sound waves for just a fraction of a second.

The birds sensed the change, squawking and circling in flocks, warning of danger.

In a flash, an array of bright, synthetic material infected the façade of the gallery, threatening to rebel and break convention. The undefined mass generated panic, as its unknown capabilities were feared.

Claiming its new position upon the traditional walls, the synthetic skin soon appeared to be harmless and sat in pretty formation, seducing curious wanderers. Upon closer inspection, the plastic sucked you into a dizzying, tunnel-like dimension. In a utopia of unsystematic freedom, colours flashed and formations ran wild. A psychedelic experience enlivened the senses and awakened the soul.

However, not giving into invasion without a challenge, the traditional sandstone attempted to break up the party, instilling their old-world, tiresome values.

All hell broke loose as the sheer weight of the massive sandstone threatened to crush the flowy plastic. It seemed as though the traditional were going to take this one out. However, the seduction of the new was too hard to resist, and their sensual powers prevailed over any physical strength that the traditional possessed, eventually robbing them of any power they previously held.

As the loss of the traditional was realised, a feeling of nostalgia and grief hung in the air with the longing for the old and familiar. However, this was quickly overcome by the anticipation and excitement of what the unknown future had to offer.

But to the dismay of the thrill-seekers, the wild party wasn’t as it once was. The new had quickly become old and routine. Not knowing what they had gotten themselves into, or what the future holds, the feeling of fear and anxiousness is relived.