What Could Turn The Earth?

The Earth continued turning, the speed all at once imperceptible and nauseating but its weight on us measuring all the same. The turning of the lonely planet never quite made sense, but it was always present... Until it wasn’t. On the day the Earth stood still we stumbled, tripped over ourselves and our neighbors. Some accused the other of not looking where they were going, that they didn’t fall, they were shoved. All the same everyones' knees had hit the ground in one moment of yielding. Some people got to their feet in the days following, wiped dust from their hands and continued walking, saying, don’t you see? We can move even if the Earth isn’t, and others said, you’re wrong.

There were some who looked at the standing people and followed the lead. Perhaps the shuffling of many feet would force the Earth to rotate once more, perhaps all the world needed was a jumpstart, a kick. On some level we all wanted to believe that the movement of thousands would replace the pattern of day and night and the weight only the force of spinning caused. We tried to pretend we could make a difference. There was no knowing when the Earth would pick up where it had left off, or if it ever would. 

On and on our days dragged, each new one bringing with it a tripping moment where thereafter people once again dusted off their hands and knees. In the eyes of other people this was folly. Those people turned to the Giants with their protests, told them of the strange ones trying to turn the Earth. The Giants, from their thrones bolted to the floor, would shake their heads and tell those People that the Earth would turn again one day, just give it time. 

But what about the walking people?

Tell them to stop, the Giants said.  

So the people did. They would say, what are you doing? Don’t you know you alone cannot make the world turn? We said, can you still not see? We are not alone. Even while the Earth remained stony in its silence the people roared, a fire from our feet blazing a trail across the land. There was a disquiet in every household as days dragged into weeks then months and soon even some who had sought out the Giants got to their feet. Steps were heavier, difficult without the turning to allow for easier footing, but paces were still found. A rhythm pounded into the soil and the core of the planet began to rumble. With the rumble came the protests.

The people sitting at the thrones of the Giants pointed fingers which rotted in their stagnant pool of unflinching refusal to stand. Those people shouted, abuse spilling from tongues which had previously been poised between clenched jaws. 

You’re walking is destroying the ground, they said.

How?

The world is not turning, you cannot walk.

Watch us.

Day in and day out debates rang through dusty air. Screams of panic from those refusing to move traversed one end of the Earth to the next while we who walked past like ducks through water. Discontentment permeated all our existence until the walking became trudging and the screams became hoarse cries. With the Earth’s refusal to yield came the despair of millions. The millions turned to the Giants with teary eyes and begged for help. If anyone could make the Earth turn once more, surely it would be the Giants.

With bated breath we waited for the Giants to stand, leave the safety of their immovable thrones so they too could understand the pain of an equally unmoving world. No Giant would stand. Some Giants spoke with voices as loud as thunder and said, those who walk have it right. Walk and the Earth will move eventually. Other Giants’ voices came to do battle with statements like those, saying, the Earth will never move unless everyone sits once more.

So, no changes were made. We walked; others sat. Giants warred but never stood and the Earth continued sitting and waiting… waiting for the day when everyone would stop fighting long enough to feel a shift.