Board :Tales of the People
Author :Archon Iyagi
Subject :"The Wandering Spirit's Message" by Shawnee
Date :6/13
An angry shade passes through the veil to the Spirit world. Quivering.. pulsating in deep maroon and shades of black and grey.

<b>          Remember.

Through the eyes of your own child, witness your death.

<b>          Remember.

    You huddle on the floor, terrified.  Wondering not
    whether your father will hit you again.. but rather
    when, and how hard.

    You cringe into yourself, wishing you could just die
    to finally end the pain and fear.

    You know there is nothing you can say that will
    make him stop. You know that anything you say will
    only make him angrier.
    You know that saying nothing will have the same
    effect.

    You whimper in terror, and your knees would not
    hold you up if you tried to stand.  Your whimpering
    inspires more rage. He roars in anger and hits
    you again.

<b>          Remember.  

Foolish man. You brought this life into the world, it is your duty to nurture it and help it grow.  How dare you treat it with such disdain?  

<b>      . .  Feel his fear!  Know his hopelessness!  . .

You, who he should come to for wisdom, for help, for love... are instead the one he runs from.

<b>          Remember.

Taste this living hell of your own creation.  Know his misery, foolish man.  Know his pain and  his fear... this child who will one day become a man.. Feel what he feels!

<b>          Resolve.

    You know that if you do not stop him, he will kill
    you.  Maybe not today, but eventually.  You look at
    your little sister sleeping in the corner, and you
    know that without a brother to bear these beatings
    she would be next...

    You leap from your huddled mess on the floor, taking
    the small hand-axe from the hearth. Quickly, before
    you can think about what you are about to do, you
    lunge at your attacker, striking again, and again,
    There is no end to your pain, no end to this madness.

    When you open your eyes, your father lays dying, a
    meaty pulp, a bloody mess.  The constables are coming,
    you know that you will never see daylight again.
    But your sister is safe, and a price had to be paid.

Understanding touches the Shade, and it shimmers with remorse.

<b>      Witness.

    The child will become a man. He will grow old, and rot
    in his cage of stone and steel.  The sister he fought
    to protect will become a tavern-maid, bearing the
    drunken pinches, smacks, and worse... all for a few
    coins to feed her children.

The Shade pulses now, a rhythmic light of green and gold, blue and grey.

Another chance... Given to one who does not deserve it... Given not to aid yourself, but to aid your Son. Take this chance, Fool Man... Take it, and make yourself worthy.  Or may you be doomed to live this hell you put him through...

<b>       For eternity.

The Shade Shimmers, Flickers, and is suddenly pulled backwards through the arches, backwards to the bloody body lying on the ground.  As the veil lowers, his eyes open... a tear trickles down his face...
 "I'm sorry... Son...  I'm sorry..."

The boy leans forward to wipe his father's tears away, and the veil darkens once more, leaving you to wonder if he will make use of the lesson given.


                                             .: Shawnee