Dreamscape V
Several of us gathered in an open space,
Listening to the storyteller.
As he spoke I could see the story
(It was a gift they had),
Birds running, chasing—
A children's story?
An ancient legend of his people?
Then the others were gone,
There was the storyteller
And one other from his planet.
The other offered me a ring.
I looked questioningly at the storyteller
Who explained it was a challenge:
The Ritual, a stylized fight.
I took my school ring off and we traded.
Behind me were risers, upon which were weapons.
The other took the imposing jeweled sword,
Leaving me with one that looked like an over-sized table knife.
We began fighting.
I blocked with my arms,
Realizing if this were actual battle
My arms would have been sliced off.
He started telling about his trickster friend,
As he told me I could see the scene playing behind him.
He was climbing a ladder, when his friend challenged him.
Because of the rules of the Ritual,
His friend had to let him climb down first,
So he was not at such a disadvantage.
Of course the story was to distract me,
To disadvantage me.
Somehow I managed to pin him to the risers,
With my giant knife held to his throat.
He complimented me on my skill.
I knew I had no skill
His compliment was another trick,
To make me think I had won,
So I would lower my guard and he could regain the upper hand.
I pressed the knife more firmly to his neck,
I made him drop his sword.
He let go with difficulty,
As though he tried to hold on
While an invisible hand tugged it away.
Once disarmed
He leaned toward me,
Into my ear he whispered something in an alien language,
What did it mean?
“Honor”?
Or was it my name?
Then he kissed me on the temple,
Totally disarming me.
Dreamscape IV
Dreamscape
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