A BIT OF HUMANITY
By Jo
EnyaJo@aol.com
TRIO CHALLENGE: brick, medicine bottle, a piñata
Still trying to make this three paragraphs.
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How long do I have to live? Yesterday I would have asked myself that question and rightfully assumed that I still had decades left as I'm still a relatively young man. That all changed. Yesterday a took a brick and slammed it on the head of a soldier who was violating my daughter. I didn't know he was a soldier, he was dressed in civilian clothes. What I did care about was that my Maria Louisa was crying and trying to fend off a drunken man. Who can blame a father who rescues his daughter?
All I can do is wait. I sit on my cot with hopelessness overtaking my soul. I kicked something that clinked across the hard, dirt floor. Getting onto my hands and knees, I see that it is the small medicine bottle that Dr. Helm had given me to soothe my headaches. Just the thought if it makes me laugh. I'm to die before sunset and Dr. Helm gave me something for my headache this morning. Well, it was all he could do for me. I saw the look in his eyes as he bandaged my wounds that I received during my arrest. I've never seen such kind eyes in a stranger. Just having a bit of humanity in this time of darkness will help my soul go on to the next life. When he had asked me, "Did you kill that soldier?" I had to admit that I had. But I also told him the reason for it, quietly so none of the other guards who wanted my blood could hear. I don't want to rile the guards. I can see the gleam in their eyes as they all wait for me to swing from the gallows for taking the life of one of their own, no matter what he had been doing.
Suddenly the door to the jail swings open and a woman clad in black charges in. I've never seen such a sight! Her long hair floats behind her with each quick movement she makes, the sword in her hand shines from sunlight as she expertly swings against the guards who came suddenly to attention. This is the Queen of Swords! I've never seen her before, but I'm thrilled that she has come for me. She has come for me, right? There is no one else in the jail. She's come to save me! She deftly kicks and swings her sword, slamming her feet and fists at them guards as if they were piñatas. The third guard falls and she turns to look at me. I stand back from the cell door, my heart caught in my throat. She tells me, "Delago, once you leave here, you must never return to Santa Helena. Your family is waiting for you out at the old ruins. Do you know where that is?" I can only nod my head as a grateful smile ignites my entire body. Hope fills my soul. She unlocks my cell door and pulls me to freedom, stopping short at the outside door to look out both ways. "There's a horse waiting for you around the corner," she hurriedly tells me. "Ride and don't look back. I'll create a diversion in the square. Just keep riding, Delago, and good luck." With that, she pushed me out the door and ran in the other direction. I find that horse and mount quickly. As I ride out of town, I hear behind me, "The Queen of Swords! Get her!"