Antipathie

The Antipathies

Antipathie

I’ve heard of a place called Antipathie. It’s a curious country that’s been in the news lately. Seems gravity has done a flip. But only in latitude and longitude not on the maps.

So I went online to see about booking a trip to Antipathie. I have to go East of the sun, and West of the moon. Once I get there, I need to travel North of the Big Bear, and then South of the Pleiades. Finally situated under Orion, I will find the path to Antipathie.

Green bricks lead into a forest. A sign along the green brick path reads ‘Antipathie ahead - turn here’. Easy enough, I think.

By the sign, I see a small man on his head.

“Excuse me, sir. Is this the way to Antipathie?” I ask the small man.

“Of course, can you not read?” He walks down the path, his head still down.

I want to go to Antipathie. I want to see the curious country where gravity has done a flip. I follow the small man down the green brick path. As we walked, the green brick path flipped. Now I was on my head. The green brick path now was where my head had been.

Antipathie is in sight. The small man on his head disappears into a crowd of mixed people. Seems gravity is on holiday here. Some men were on their heads, some women were on their feet. Some children were sideways. I float in the air.

Buildings in Antipathie are jumbled. Some are standing straight, some are sideways. Then others are upside down. What a curious place.

I read a sign as I float by.

‘Antipathie - Where up is down, and down is up’

Now that I have seen this curious country, it’s time to leave. But I can’t find the way out. The green brick path has disappeared.

“Are you lost? Remember, up is down. Down is up.” A little girl pushes me out of the way. I float like a big balloon.

I look up. I look down. A hole opens up under me. I jump into the hole.

My trip to Antipathie ends when I land back where I started. I stand by the green brick path near the forest. Under Orion. I will follow the Big Bear and the Pleiades home. East to the Moon and West to the Sun.

W/C 397