The walk is long, the sun burns down.
Going forward to prove himself worthy.
All alone.
When he finds this girl, he feels appeased.
Without any reason, he trusts her.
She leads him through the ever-thickening forest.
The girl asked, '
You warrior?' '
Yes, yes,' I said, and I don't know why, but I added, '
I, warrior.
Great warrior.' She translated, and the man said something else. '
Who you fight?' she asked. '
Anarchists,' I responded.
I could see from the look on her face she didn't understand at all.
My face was sweating so much that my
Glasses were starting to slide down my nose again.
But I didn't dare take my finger off the trigger, even for a second.
I didn't like the glances the men were
Casting at me – dark, suspicious, angry. '
Tell them that ...' I said, '
I fight ...
Evil.' They finally reach the village, and there they all wait.
The one he's looking for is there, too.
But the concern is the girl, like it always is.
They say the cause of all evil originates in her.
Has she to be protected?
Or does he need her defeated?
She shouted out, her white hands clutching at the dark ground, '
He say I evil.
I bring man.
I bring you.
I bad luck.
I bad.
He want you take me away.
Never come back ...
But he no do it, 'cause he afraid of me.'
Everything was quiet,
Except for the buzzing of bees and the screech of a hawk far away.
The prisoner lying on the ground gasped out something in his language.
The leader's eyes grew wide,
And he looked like he was about to say something.
At his words, the girl begged me, '
No, no.
No let him.
No let him.' The prisoner held up his
Hands to the leader, showing where he was tied.
He pointed towards the girl.
No let him, no let him,' the girl screamed.
Sweat was streaming down my face.
I thought of how many men were surrounding me.
I thought of the heat.
I thought of the day my mother sent me away on the train,
The smell of the ham-and-cheese sandwich she'd
Packed for me, and how a big kid had stolen it from me.
I thought of my old man back in town,
And his foul words and his foul breath
And all the times he'd ever punished me.
The leader took a bone knife from his
Belt and took a step towards the man.
I squeezed the trigger.