Time, Truth, and History, Goya, undated

Time, Truth, and History
Mother Liberty and the Seducer
Curated by Alex McDonald

Curator's Note: This is the second installment in a series of blog posts where I have presented short fiction based off the paintings in my collection. If one finds themselves lost, please go read my post on Garnier's The Defenseless Rose. Thank you.

Daughter of Eve, you have been violated.

The Devil towers over the young broken Girl. Screeching bats out of Hell encircle the couple.

The forbidden fruit has been forced upon you, your innocence gone to Heaven and the rest remains here with me, in Hell.

The Girl cries in agony. After suffering the Rococo Man’s abuse, she lies naked and vulnerable, facing her inner Devil.

The Devil laughs at her cries. He is strong and vicious, like the Rococo Man. With the wings of an angle, he lures women in, but his face reveals the true nature of the beast.

Another figure enters the barren landscape. She doesn’t have wings, but possess the shape of a true angel.

Get up, my daughter. There is nothing he can say or do to make things worse.

The Devil turns the Angel. What can you possibly offer this shell of a girl? You can’t restore her purity. No deity can.

The Angel kneels before the weeping Girl and helps her up. The Devil doesn’t dare interfere. The Angel then hands the Girl a scroll.

What is this?

Time, Truth, and History. Read it and you shall taste the real fruit, enlightenment.

The Devil recoils in fear. What are you doing?

The Angel takes the Devil’s hand and a bright light obliterates the darkness. The Devil’s wings spread apart to soak in the radiance, but his body can’t take it. His face rots, and he falls to the ground.

The Angel does not take her eyes off the Girl. Slowly, the Girl opens the scroll and wakes up. Her nightmare is over.