Yesteryear Fiction

The Pyramid
By Dan Shelton


Sitting upon his magnificent throne in the great hall, king Altowantinka called for his chief servant, Quaro.

Quaro entered and knelt at the king’s feet. What cruel madness has the king thought of now? he wondered. “You asked for me, your excellent majesty.”

“I have made a decision. I want a pyramid built in my honor, which will also serve as my tomb. It will be the biggest, grandest, most spectacular pyramid ever built. It will be named the Most Splendid Pyramid of the Magnificent King Altowantinka. I want to be remembered forever. I want to be a legend!”

“Where are we to get the labor to build this structure, your majesty?”

“Do not bother me with such trivialities! Make my slaves work harder! Enlist the women and children. Kill any who dare refuse to assist in the building of my greatest achievement!”

“Yes, your majesty.”

The plans for the pyramid were drawn and the day of construction arrived. The first giant stone was laid in place and the king proclaimed that it was a glorious day. The crowds clapped and cheered. To do otherwise would be to invite a severe whipping.


A year passed and the pyramid’s base was completed. Altowantinka went to the site to inspect the building work. “It is taking too long,” he complained to Quaro. “How long do the slaves work?”

“They work for twelve hours a day, your majesty.”

“Make them work fourteen. No, sixteen. I want my monument finished sooner!”

“Yes, your majesty.”


Quaro entered the king’s great hall and bowed before his ruler. “Your majesty.”

“What is it Quaro?” the king asked.

“The pyramid is costing too much money. What are we to do?”

The king thought. “Double the taxes on the people. They will be glad to sacrifice their wealth for my glory.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

The day of the pyramid’s completion arrived. The people and slaves who had wept and bled and suffered for it gathered to witness the arrival of their king.

Quaro directed the king to a platform, below which was the only entrance to the stone monster they had created.

The king addressed his people. “This pyramid is a monument to my hard work and dedication. When my physical body dies, I shall be entombed in this pyramid! It will stand for millennia, and I will be remembered for millennia!” The crowd obediently cheered.

“There is only one stone left to be placed,” Quaro told his king.

“Show me.”

Quaro led the king to the edge of the platform and indicated the entrance below them, and the final, huge stone waiting to be maneuvered into place.

Then all it took was a push - a simple, little push in the small of the king’s back.

The king fell from the platform into the hole. Quaro heard an agonized sound as the king struck the floor of his final resting place. His cries of help echoed up from inside.

Quaro gave a signal and the final stone was lowered into the hole.

The crowd cheered. For the first time in many years, their cheering was genuine.

The Most Splendid Pyramid of the Magnificent King Altowantinka was renamed to just The Pyramid.


- - -
Dan Shelton writes about anything that comes into his head. One day he intends to finish writing a novel. He likes chocolate and Star Wars.