Powers and Principalities Ch. 1-8

Powers and Principalities Ch. 2

Chapter 2

          Just as I crossed over a particularly high sand dune, a bolt of anxiety paralyzed me helplessly in my tracks. Not knowing who I was, I wasn’t sure if I should be ashamed of what I was or proud, but I knew that I was naked and in a miserable state. All I had to carry with me was my innocent intentions, which could be my only saving grace and hope for receiving mercy.
          I was greeted by the legendary thousand-yard stare, shooting from two eyes intense as gunfire yet bearing the scarlet of weariness. Wrapped in a faded red cloth, his true form was concealed by a very loose black garment that covered nearly every inch of his skin. A gray cloth was wrapped around his head, leaving only his eyes visible. Resting on his head was a surprisingly clean visor. His boots rose almost to his knees; the navy suede was almost completely lost to the extensive sand erosion. A thick belt holding several unclear objects could be seen, as well as another strap of similar width going over his chest. The butt of a dormant rifle leered over his shoulder. My memory instantly absorbed every detail of his appearance
          I was overwhelmed with the prospect of finally meeting a human. Seeing him made me wonder hopeful and frightened at the same time. Once again, my taxed mind searched my still dormant memory to make sense of this being that stood before me. He had a military aura about him. He was certainly not American, except in the wearing winter-weight clothing in the scorching heat aspect.
          “Who are you?” the man shouted, in a strong but somewhat raspy voice. He didn’t walk but rather inched towards me, keeping his right hand on his belt. I wondered why he seemed afraid of me.
         “Who am I?” I shouted back, as I inched towards him.
          “The sun must have baked your brains, running around here naked…” he barked. Obviously, I had offended him, but I couldn’t help but muster a grin at his notion. Perhaps this is true and my brain was a fried egg wondering why I keep trying to get memories out of the sizzling thing.
         “Being naked makes more sense than being wrapped up like you were going penguin hunting out here!” I replied. I realized that he could probably kill me at will, but the weight of the situation was making my composure split at the seams.
          A faint chuckle rode his breath, after which, he let down his visor and twisted a knob near the side. My casual response to his threatening actions told me that I really needed to sharpen my tactfulness if I ever expected to see another day. Since he stopped advancing, I stopped as well and waited for his next move.
The flickering blue light emitting from his visor reminded me of the light from the tower, hardly significant but noticeable. The light only illuminated my face for a moment. “I thought for sure you would be on the list… I haven’t found a rat in weeks… seems like weeks,” he said, talking to himself more than the naked man before him who wasn’t fit to be acknowledged.
          “What are you doing?” I asked him, in an effort to regain his attention. After his sharp eyes only focused on me for a moment, he answered; “I serve our Holy Mother. Is my uniform ragged beyond recognition?” A faint sense of humility could be sensed in his later question. I took a another couple more inches of the sand between us.
          “Does she live up there?” I said, indicating the incredible tower far beyond us. This apparently struck a cord with my new acquaintance.          “Don’t speak so lightly of our Holy Mother!” he hissed, after which he fell back a step. The weariness in his movements exceeded mine, and I figured he was reaching his limits with this harsh terrain.
          As if about to fall over, he caught himself on a chunk of charred stone. For the first time he diverted his eyes completely from me and stared at the ground. His hand slowly rose from his back containing a canteen. He flopped over limply with the back of his head leaning against the stone, his trembling canteen meeting his lips.
          When the canteen was completely inverted and exposed as being empty, he suddenly became animated and hurled it at me. For the first time that day, my mind went completely blank as I stared at the canteen making revolution after revolution in the air towards me. My hands moved on their own accord in front of my face. Not because of my hands, but because of the blinding light, my vision was impaired for a split second. The vibration in my chest was as a caged animal and my skin felt like it was being pulled away from my flesh. Once I regained awareness and began piecing together the contents of the last few seconds, it was apparent that some incredible light turned the canteen into vapor.
          My acquaintance jumped up and began inching away from me, trembling as if there was a quake; fear had stolen his face. “H…h…how…how…did you…” fear uttered from his lips. I realized that this was something I must have somehow done. It would be impossible to begin to actually answer his question. I would save figuring that out for a less tense moment than staring my possible killer down. Then came the tough decision of if I should advance or distance myself from this half-crazed armed man.
          “How did I?” were the only pathetic words I could muster. Relief and confidence washed over his face, revealing a smirk brimming with anticipation.
          “I didn’t think there were any of you left. What a find!” he shouted, once again talking to himself. A burning passion consumed his eyes; I was his target now.
          Wasting no time, the once weary man readied his rifle, took my form in his scope, and squeezed the trigger. The sound of gunfire has an almost magic way of clearing one’s mind; muting everything in a brief invasion of anticipation. The light returned to envelop the advancing bullets. I was in an audience watching myself in awe. It must have been instinct operating for me, and I was somewhat reluctant to resume control from it.
          Instead of analyzing this like I had everything prior to this point, I opened the deepest of my instincts and stared back into his eyes. All I felt for him, who I had met in peace, was burning rage. This was easier than trying to figure this impossible mess out. He was now my target as well.
          I watched myself advance quickly as he fired several more shots at me and continued to retreat backwards. This time I didn’t cover my eyes when the light faithfully erupted to protect me. The largest thing in my sight was the stone he was leaning on. With heavy heart, my hatred uprooted it from the ground and hurled it towards him. The velocity amazed me, as the stone raced past him. His face was once again fearful; I took comfort in knowing the threat he posed was subsiding.
          “This is hopeless! I hate to give up… oh, forgive me! It’s in your hands now!” he shouted to the sky while the sparkle of tears suddenly adorned his face. I did not betray my faithful instinct and marched forward, shunning any compassion or curiosity. When his eyes focused on me for a final time, he pulled out a pistol-shaped device.
          A great paralysis seeped into my flesh when a red light enveloped my body, streaming from the device. This remained second after painful second. Increasing ripples of distortion stole my vision until it eventually became black. My veins pumped with frenzied anxiety and fear, I could not stand it. There had to be a way to free myself! All that consumed my mind was my target. Destroying him was the only way to make this fear go away. The last thing I felt before I blacked out was the sand scraping my skin as I fell.