DREAM

This story is based on a pair of dreams I had.� I was so moved by them I felt compelled to write it out.� The second part of the story was written some months after the first, but rounds out and compliments it so much; I made it one longer story.

The Dreams

One night I lay dreaming of a future that should never be allowed to exist.� The world is at war and the country has been invaded and split from within itself.� The people running from the war are the least able to defend themselves.� There are few weapons and the enemy is closing to kill any refugees.� In this world, there is a safe place for all people to hide and live free from the horror of the wars.� One group of people is trying to reach the Haven and is being closer pursued by the enemy forces.� �� The man in charge is a reluctant leader as all others look to him due to his ability to confound the pursuers. He has led them for several weeks through several small battles and ambushes.� His leadership has allowed most of the group to survive.� However, every loss weighs heavily on his conscience because he feels responsible for the rest of the group.� The largest blow came when his wife was lost in the first skirmish and he had to be sole parent to his ten year old daughter.� The end of the road is near and all can sense safety in the near future.� They only need to cross a small river and dash across some open country.

A scout returned with bad news.� The enemy is close and will catch them before they can reach the Haven.� All eyes look to the leader as he comes to the only decision possible.� The only bridge for miles is the one place to stop the enemy and it must be guarded.� This will slow the enemy enough for the rest of the group to escape.� The decision he must make is only who lives by fleeing and who dies by guarding the bridge, an impossible choice for the man.� He sits on the ground and a look of despair comes over his face until the soft tinkle of rings sounds from his pocket.� Carefully, he pulls out several rings and looks at them.� He gently closes his hand over them and a look of peace finally set onto his face for the first time in a long while.� He calls the group together and says he needs four other people to volunteer to stay with him and stop the enemy for the last time.� None move to aid the man.� So he announces that he shall stay alone while the rest escape to safety.

At this point, his daughter cries out for him not to go and to stay with her.� He takes her to the side and gives her a gentle kiss on the cheek.� This is something he has to do because no one else is prepared to sacrifice themselves for the rest of the group.� He must give something to her in private.

There is not enough time for all of us to escape, he tells her. I want more than anything else for you to survive and my heart is empty without your mother.� Someone must stay to guard this place to delay the soldiers so the rest can be safe.� If I thought I could do that and be with you, I would do it.� But it would destroy me to think that you were harmed on the edge of freedom. �I need you to go and live and someday have children of your own.� Then you will understand why your father stayed behind

He takes out the rings again.� He asks his daughter for the necklace she wears and put a man's school ring on it.

This is my school ring. It represents all the hopes and dreams I had as a child.� I wanted to be the one who would build the greatest tower in the world or even the first to fly to the stars.� I felt that I could give the world a person to inspire hope and I give these dreams to you.� I hope they can happen one day.

Next he puts a woman's school ring.

This is your mother's school ring.� It represents all the things your mother wanted to do as a child.� She had so many stories to tell and so many dreams for us and you were the ultimate dream in her life.� She loved telling you her stories each night and I feel she would have been able to make the world a better place if she could only have found people to listen.� It is these stories I give to you to tell for us.

Next, he puts an engagement ring.

This is the love your mother and I felt for each other.� We never had much in our lives beyond that but we were happy together.� She said she didn't want this but when I gave it to her the love in her eyes was enough to keep me warm inside during any time we were apart.

Next, he put on a woman's wedding band.

This is MY Soul.� I gave to your mother on our wedding day.� I gave it to her freely and never regret anything that passed between us because I knew my place in the world was with her and that a part of me would always be close to her.� I give it to you so you are never alone.

Finally, he took his wedding band off his hand and placed it on the chain.

This is your mother's Soul.� She gave it to me on our wedding day.� It has always reminded me that she is near me no matter where I am or how far away she is from us now.� I have nothing else from her with me but this is enough.� Now she goes with you.

Then, the fastened the chain around the neck of his daughter.

The chain represents you my darling child.� You are the sum of all the hopes and dreams your mother and I have had in our lives.� You are the connection between our souls, The ultimate product of our love.� We have nothing else for you; but hope that your future is better than the past.� I pray that you can find a measure of comfort in the knowledge that while you are alive a part of us will be with you even if we cannot be there in person.

After telling this to his daughter and holding her close for several minutes, she stopped crying and nodded her head.� She moved off to the only friend she had in the group and took his hand and stood with his family.� The man could see that she would have someone to watch her and hopefully protect her.� That made it a little easier for him to do what he felt he must.

The man turned to face the rest of the group.� He pulled out the rifle he took from a dead soldier and chambered a round with a resounding clack.� He said that the last thing he would do as leader was to guard the rear so the rest of them could escape to safety.� He asked for all the weapons, again asked for any volunteers that would help. All he got were weapons and hidden faces.

He gave his daughter a last hug and sadly looked over the small band of refugees.� He was by himself and none moved to help him.� Turning to face the enemy, the last he saw of the group were the tears in his own eyes.

The dream woke me there. Several months later it still haunted me until I had another dream and knew it was part of the first

The dream continues. The man bravely holds the soldiers at bay for several hours.� Finally, after the last of his ammunition is spent, he is forced to throw rocks at them.� He will not allow his daughter to be destroyed.� The soldiers are patient and remain under cover as the man fires.� They realized early that he was alone and carried only a small amount of bullets taken from fallen comrades.� Crude shields allow them to peek at the man as he fires from cover.� They find it strange that he fires only to keep them at bay and not to destroy them.� What has happened to the leader who confounded ambushes and killed all the soldiers involved?� What of the leader who set traps and defenses to maim and injure rather than kill?� Could those have been the same men and is this that man?� The major leading this party has decided this man will live to answer his questions.� His men are ready when the shooting stops and the first rocks hit the ground near to them.� A private is sent out to capture the lone man.� Cautiously, the private crosses the bridge certain that his life will be ended before he can reach the far end.� His relief is great as he faces the man.� In a fury, the lone man attacks the private with his fists.� The private's fellow soldiers see the attack and raise their guns to fire but are ordered down by the major.� He wants to see this man questioned and learn what he knows.� Several other privates are sent to subdue the man.� After a time, he finally collapses from exhaustion more than blows.� He is bound and taken away to be interrogated by the major.

After the man wakes he is taken before the major.� The major asks who is the leader of the rebels who managed to escape.� The man tells him that he led the refugees that were being hunted like rabid dogs.� All people not in authorized areas must be rebels the major countered because the government said so.� The man just sneered and laughed, of course they would say that.� The major asked the man to tell him what he had done in the past few months.� The man told the major everything he had done and every battle he had been involved in.� The major was impressed with the skill the man had shown over the past months.� Few soldiers could have done what this one man had accomplished and fewer would have sacrificed themselves for the ungrateful ones who left him behind.� The man had honor and believed in more than him.� This caused the major to think about his orders regarding the man?s fate.� Death by firing squad was this man's fate for the killing of soldiers.� But how many more would have died had another been leading that group? In every skirmish, there were soldiers who lived to tell of the battle.� A tall man who would not allow the captured to be killed but rather allow them to live.� Several had been found tied and their stories confirmed the man?s story.� Also a group thought dead was reported as being locked in an old bomb shelter.� A radio message led to their freedom an hour ago no worse for their time imprisoned.� The puzzle of the man perplexed the major.� He finally brought up the battle where no soldiers survived.� The man hung him head and told the major that was the battle where his wife was killed.� During the fight, none of the soldiers would surrender and they kept their attack until the last man had fallen.� The mortally wounded were given an overdose of sleeping pills or morphine to ease their suffering.� This impressed the major and he asked for a report on the battle.� Indeed some of the soldiers found had been off to one side near the bodies of 3 rebels.� The wounds on all had been fatal and all appeared to be tended to in some way.� One of the rebels found was a woman, no jewelry, and no distinguishing features.� The bodies had been burned according to regulations.� The major told the man the body of the woman had been treated well and burned.� The man gave the barest smile and murmured thank you.� That night, the major lay awake on his cot.� This man he captured would have made a good soldier and officer if he had joined.� A shame to waste such a decent man in such a way.� Sending his daughter off with others and staying behind to insure her escape was a chivalrous act indeed.� The major found himself shamed by what he would be forced to do in the morning.� A plan formed as he lay sleepless, and one sergeant would likely help due to the information learned today.� A summons and a short time later, the sergeant appeared before the major.� After the major told the sergeant the news, the sergeant wept and said he would do his duty.

The morning was one of the finest seen in weeks.� The sun had broken through the clouds and it was warming nicely.� The man felt good even though he knew he was to die shortly.� The major decided that the execution would take place on the spot of his capture, the bridge.� The man was taken to a jeep and tied into the back seat.� A sergeant and the major climbed in the front and drove off.� Ten minutes later the bridge was reached and the man pulled out.� He stood before the bridge he defended the day before wait for death, erect and head up.� The major looked to the sergeant and gave a command, a gunshot rang out.

The man stood still realizing the shot had not hit him.� He noticed the sergeant putting away the rifle and coming over to him.� The sergeant untied the man and told him "War is a terrible thing.� It causes good men to behave in evil ways to keep what they have safe, family, property, or children.� You allowed your enemies to live when you could have destroyed them, knowing they would have destroyed you.� As soldiers, we know our lives are subject to the whims of our enemies when captured.� You saw fit to imprison some men in a stocked bomb shelter when it would have, at the time, served you better to kill them all.� One of these men is my brother.� He is alive and safe due to your actions.� I must do my duty and you must die."� Then the sergeant turned to the major and reported "The bullet passed through the prisoners heart and he died quickly. End of Report."� The major nodded and said, "Dispose of the body as you see fit Sergeant."� The sergeant turned to the man and untied him.�"Good men always try to do what is right, even when it is difficult.� Go to your daughter and never return here or all of us shall die.�You life is repayment for my brothers and should we meet again, I will do what I must and you will die." The man nodded and ran over the bridge to try to catch up to his daughter.� The major looked to the sergeant.�"Come Sergeant, we must go see the rescued soldiers.� My son and your brother wait for us at the hospital." "Yes Sir " the sergeant responded crisply. And in a softer voice asked, "Do you think Franz will be glad to see us and know what has happened, Father?"�"I certainly hope so, my son, I certainly hope so." replied the major.

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