Scuffle in the Night

              Daniel had been sitting and chatting with Fiona and Kelsey for well over an hour when the others came to see what was delaying them. One or two paused to listen momentarily but turned away. Eventually Fiona offered Daniel a drink, but he declined, saying he had brought his own along.

                They visited late into the evening, and Daniel accepted the invitation to spend the night with them. Fiona discretely watched him long after the others had retired to their beds of ease. As Daniel knelt beside his simple straw pallet he was pressing something to his heart. It seemed to be emitting sound waves that give off a faint glow. By ducking from behind one huge cactus to the next, she was able to get closer, and soon understood that Daniel was communicating with the King from that far distant castle. Something about watching and listening to him warmed her heart even though she couldn’t understand the dialect. She crept off to bed, resolved to learn more about the King, the castle and the people in it.

                Several hours later Kelsey woke up. He wasn’t sure what had jarred him out of his slumbers, but he lay there stiff and tense, listening for the faintest sounds. There seemed to be a scuffle going on outside his tent. He crept to the door and opened the flap. It took him a moment to recognize that Daniel seemed to be in a life and death struggle with someone who was huge and menacing; dark and ugly. 

 Even while he watched, he noticed that Daniel’s armor, which had been invisible up until then, was glowing brightly and Kelsey marveled how distinctly he could see the different parts. He wore a helmet with the word Salvation emblazed in gold across it, and his breastplate was stamped with the symbol for righteousness.

Kelsey sighed; how I wish I could have such beautiful armor! The battle wore on, and Kelsey worried that Daniel would weary against such a terrible enemy. He noticed Daniel stop to take a few quick swallows from his water of Life flask, which invigorated him. When the light was dawning in the eastern sky, the evil giant slunk away into the shadows, and Daniel could rest.

Kelsey lay awake, thinking of what he just saw and a longing filled his bosom to become that strong a soldier in a Worthy cause,  www.prairieviewpress.com Marilyn  Friesen