The Will S. Memorial Award Winner in Fiction Archive Contest #1
The System of the Human Spirit
By Maggie Vining
Opgafo, Opgafoli, and Deetwanteesisstim
This is a story about will.
This is also a story about human interaction.
Often, we focus too much on our fearful inner voice.
Often, we focus too much on our fearful inner voice.
Opgafo, Opgafoli, and Deetwanteesisstim are not so different from you
or me.
Observe them now and learn how they reluctantly worked together to
function in a place called Anywhere Better Than Here.
Introducing Opgafo, a Man.
Opgafo always wore full plate armor.
He always wore it because it protected him.
Opgafo’s armor pinched and it was heavy, hot, and uncomfortable.
Opgafo’s armor pinched and it was heavy, hot, and uncomfortable.
He also wore a masterwork helmet made of long, deadly, metal spikes.
Like his mind the spikes were sharp, but like his soul the helmet buried
the natural beauty of his hair.
Introducing Opgafoli, a Girl.
Opgafoli rarely wore anything substantial.
Her arms and breasts had little to hide.
As a result, she was not prepared for the cold.
As a result, she was not prepared for the cold.
Like Opgafo, she wore a spiked headpiece, but her hair went free.
Her mind was sharp, but all who dared to look could see her natural
beauty as her long hair flowed
Introducing Deetwanteesisstim, a Beast.
Opgafo’s father summoned Deet long ago.
Deet is a beast of magic and nature.
Deet is a dragon’s dragon and should have no master.
Deet is a dragon’s dragon and should have no master.
But Opgafo rides him as such, and Deet will rebel one day.
This is the way of things when you are a beast and not an armored man
or a naked girl.
This Story Begins.
Opgafo, Opgafoli, and Deet flew fast.
Reluctantly, Opgafo allowed Opgafoli to grab his armor.
Reluctantly, Opgafoli held fast to the hard, cold, pinching, metal.
Reluctantly, Opgafoli held fast to the hard, cold, pinching, metal.
Riding through the frigid mountain top, Deet cared nothing for his
riders.
From far away, Deet looked like a black insect, but to his riders he
was a powerful and significant creature.
Anyplace Better Than Here.
They arrived at their new home.
Opgafo took Deet inland and left Opgafoli alone.
She watched as the two beasts went on without her.
She watched as the two beasts went on without her.
Not one to cry, Opgafoli remained on the shore and collected driftwood.
She built a small driftwood home and learned to find water, to catch
fish, and to grow luscious tropical fruits.
Deet’s Will Overcomes Opgafo.
A mighty roar alerted Opgafoli’s ears.
High up above an angry black dragon circled.
Acid gushed from Deets enraged head and destroyed Opgafo’s land.
Acid gushed from Deets enraged head and destroyed Opgafo’s land.
He circled again and roared again and then flew far, far away.
No one controled this dragon for he was the essence of freedom and
was born to be independent of others.
Opgafoli Searches For Opgafo.
She wondered what of Opgafo survived.
Opgafoli was concerned for Opgafo’s heart and soul.
She knew acid did not cause the pain he faced.
She knew acid did not cause the pain he faced.
Through the bushes she peered at a man without armor or helmet.
Opgafo stumbled around his destroyed lands and when he noticed Opgafoli
he decided he would kill her where she stood.
How He Loved Her
Opgafoli quickly ran away from Opgafo.
She was not willing to die violently.
As they continued to run Opgafo’s wild anger slowly abated.
As they continued to run Opgafo’s wild anger slowly abated.
Soon, they were walking side by side through her luscious tropical
orchards.
Opgafo was truly impressed by Opgafoli’s unusual survival skills, but
as a mighty hunter he had no need for fruit.
How She Loved Him
Opgafoli panted from the long run.
She watched suspiciously as Opgafo admired her orchard.
“Why didn’t he kill me like he clearly wanted to?”
“Why didn’t he kill me like he clearly wanted to?”
As he admired her past efforts she admired his firm exposed skin.
But she had no need for this pathetic beast, so when he entered the
lands beyond her orchard she let him.
A New Enemy Awaits
I am he who compels you.
Your search for others like you is my doing.
Your hope, your faith, your urges are all my doing.
Your hope, your faith, your urges are all my doing.
I am why you blindly live for others yet always die alone.
I am why the things you dearly love always change and why the things
you hate always stay the same.
Learning to Cooperate Effectively
Sick with loneliness they inwardly yearned.
Anyplace Better Than Here was no longer important.
Unable to bare the loneliness, Opgafo returned to Opgafoli’s Orchards.
Unable to bare the loneliness, Opgafo returned to Opgafoli’s Orchards.
Unable to bare the loneliness, Opgafoli welcomed him and prepared to
submit.
They took their place in life as master and mistress and worked together
to defeat their pain, suffering, and anxiety.
Deet Returns With Others
“What a strange beast,” they thought.
Upon the shore they saw two new people.
The new male unsuccessfully tried to steer Deet further inland.
The new male unsuccessfully tried to steer Deet further inland.
The new female turned and noticed Opgafo and Opgafoli observing from
afar.
“Who are you?” cried the new man. “This is my land now and I have the
dragon to prove it.”
Proof of Deet’s Ownership
Opgafo and Opgafoli smiled at Deet.
Deet rose high and flew far, far away.
From far away he looked like a small, black insect .
From far away he looked like a small, black insect .
This angered the new armored male and confused the new naked female.
Opgafo and Opgafoli smiled and decided to help the newcomers adjust
to life in the land the now called Truth.
The Conclusion We Ascertain
This was a story about will.
This was also a story about human interaction.
Often, we focus too much on our fearful inner voice.
Often, we focus too much on our fearful inner voice.
Opgafo, Opgafoli, and Deetwanteesisstim were not so different from
you or me.
You observed them from afar and learned how they reluctantly came together
and happily coexisted in a place called Truth.
The end, the end, the end, the end, the end, the end, the end, the end,
the end, the end, the end, the end, the end, the end, the end, the end,
the end, the end,the end, the end.
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