The Wanderer

The Wanderer

A fiction, by M.M.S

She stood facing her adversary. A fire blazing in her eyes, and a fierce look to her stance. All was silent. But her enemies taunt still rang in her ears. All were still, and watched anxiously. Waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, like the breaking of a glass, her clear voice broke through the silence.

“I have been to places where silver trees stand beneath burnt orange skies, and the grass is red as blood. I’ve been to places where flowers dance with time, and the Wind stands hand in hand with Change. Where lizards walk on two legs, and tip their hats to passing dragonflies. Places where the moon shines black out of a lavender sky, over ground as dark as night, and creatures Mother Nature would rather hide. I’ve been to places where Consistency means nothing, and Time and Space are irrelevant. Where mountains, valleys, countries, oceans, whole worlds! Could fit on the head of a pin, and still be more important than the universe.

So when you ask me if I’m scared, when you ask me if I believe; You are mocking me. For the sake of your dignity, and mine, don’t mock me. For I have been to places you could only dream of! And that the wildest of imaginations couldn’t conjure up.

So I’ll ask you again: Do you believe me? Or are you just going to stand there thinking what a clever girl I am to have made it this far? And so I’m giving you another chance. Will you believe in me, as I have come to trust in you?”

Once more the silence rang, as her question hung in the air. She gazed around at the assembly, then turned to the man standing just a few paces from her.

“And then of course there’s you. Still here after so many years. So many long, long years. For you everything happens so fast you don’t even notice how much time has passed. Until you look back. Back over all those long years, and each day is just a second; just a fleeting blip of memory. That you could dwell on for weeks, or forget in half a moment. All the good times, all the bad. Every stupid thing you’ve ever done, and every choice that changed you forever.

And you should know better than anyone just how long forever really is. It’s every second, of every minute, of every day. Every moment that you thought wouldn’t really be important, all added up with all the time that slipped away in the blink of an eye. All that time that you thought didn’t matter. All that time that you deemed ‘a waste’.”

She drew her gaze away from the man she called a friend, and turned a cold glare on the assembled people. It was their turn under her gavel now.

“I am a wanderer, and have seen many things. So while I must admit that this doesn’t surprise me, it does horrify me. To see so many great people, women and men alike, fallen so far into this pit of horrors. How have you all fallen so low? Is it worth it, this power? Is it worth all the pain and suffering? Is it worth all the torture? All the death? No. If you were to walk out those doors right now, and see what you’ve done, your reign of terror would end. It would end at the sight of the first crying child, sitting in the dust.

You are not monsters. You are humans. Which while humans have been horrible, they have never yet stooped this low. You are humans in monsters clothing, like kids dressed up on Halloween. And you have the ability to change this. So now I’ll offer you all a choice: Will you keep your Power in Fear? Or will you exchange it, for Power in Mercy? You used to be so merciful. Think how it would help you now. I await your decision. And for all our sakes, I hope you choose wisely.”

Her words dropped like hammer blows on the crowd. Without taking her eyes from her audience, she took a step back and sat down, upon the chair which they had imprisoned her in. For just this reason.

She was dangerous, in their eyes. She brought no army, and carried no weapons. She wore no armour, and held no power in her hands. And that was why they feared her. Her power was her mind, her armour was her compassion. Her weapon was her voice, and her army was everyone she’d ever cared for. Everyone who believed in her. She held their hearts in her hands, and treasured them. She brought with her no physical army, but the thoughts of millions were more powerful than any hoard of men. For to them she was a tangible fairy tale. A story. And a story has strength. Because while the body may be scarred and imprisoned, the mind remains free. And as such, can believe. And can be offered a choice. Choices are what shape the turn of the Universe, and the right choice, in the right time, can change the fate of billions. Every star in the sky, every planet in every galaxy, every world in the furthest reaches of the universe, shines today because of a single right choice. Every time. Time can be re-written, history can be changed, lives can be saved. All you have to do, is choose. And that’s what she did, and what she offered to everyone. A ride on the high road. A chance to change their own lives, and the lives of everyone. A chance to keep the stars shining. For one more day.