I stepped out into the night. Immediately the harsh easterly wind begins whipping the pouring rain into my face. I turn from the stinging drops, and raise my hood over my head. I quickly assess the situation. A number of ours have wandered a good ways off, many as far as the border. I steel myself against the unforgiving night and snap into action. The wind intensifies as I walk. But it’s at my back now. The wind is naught but a push at my back, the rain useless pelts against my coat.
I finally reach the border. The situation is worse than I first thought. Not only are they stranded way out here, but they are sitting in a small lake that could submerge my feet. My resolve is still strong. I forge ahead and begin to collect the fallen. I feel the cold moisture seep in and soak my feet. Lousy good for nothing shoes. I’ve needed new ones for a good while now. I curse to myself and continue on my mission. Normally I can gather them together without a second thought. But working against the lake, the wind, and the rain complicates things considerably. It’s quite a struggle. I manage to collect all of ours. I sigh my relief, when suddenly I see something through the rain and the darkness, illuminated briefly by a flash of lightning. Another.
It’s a miracle I was able to see it at all. It’s collapsed on its side, well beyond the border. No man’s land. I descend the hill, nearly losing one of my worthless shoes in the mud. I dash into no man’s land. I hoist it upright, and bring it back into our territory, nearly being struck myself in the process. I reunite it with the others, and slowly push against the wind and the whipping rain to bring them back home. Better safe than sorry, though. I check once again for any stragglers. I gasp as I see another out in the lake by the border.
How could I have missed it? There’s just no way. I hurry back out to the border to see. That’s when I notice. No wonder I missed it. It’s not one of ours. It’s one of our enemy’s. I briefly consider leaving it behind. I curse again and decide that I’ll not leave it to rot here. I grab hold and hoist it out. I bring it along, catching another of ours along the way that had wandered out on account of the wind. With one in each hand I force my way back. The wind is stronger than ever. Another of theirs is rocketing toward us, impelled by the blustering wind at its back. I have to run to intercept its course. Even running though…I’m against the wind and I’m weighed down with these two stragglers. I need to think.
Acting quickly, I put my plan into effect. With expert timing and all my strength, I hurl the one from my right hand directly into its path. There is a grand collision, and the runaway is stopped in its tracks. I begin to organize them so I can move them together. The wind blusters with its strongest gust yet, nearly pushing me off my feet. I hold tightly to the stragglers. One of them is nearly knocked over.
“Bluster all you want,” I say aloud. “Your worst hurricane couldn’t wrench these from my grip.”
That probably wasn’t true, but I liked how it sounded. I put my head down and head for the lights of civilization. I put the stragglers where they belong, and head for the warmth indoors. I look up and see a number of my comrades, who had apparently been observing my actions. They clap me on the back and compliment my efforts. I lower my hood and stand in the doorway, frozen and dripping. It was difficult, but I can stand tall knowing I did my duty, and did it well. Nothing amazing, nothing spectacular. Just another evening gathering shopping carts.
-Steve McGladdery
