Listen Up Guys!
First Activist Meet-Up in the
Camouflage Tent
Liberty's poem "Severe
Shortage" that was smuggled out of jail (by pipe
knocking) is received with mixed feelings between the
various people of the desert. Some activists criticize
the negativity in the poem. Others can't believe that
struggle would lead to victory and they take the
trouble to discourage others. Some people belittle
their own importance as individuals and see nothing of
value that they can contribute.
White Horizon gathers everybody he can
under the shade of Tiger Cliff
in a large camouflage tent. Dozens of activists
arrive, as if for a shepherds convention. They crowd
up into the tent while the goats and sheep wait
outside. The sweat and the heat drive them all crazy
and it's hard to talk to them. No wonder, shitty
conditions, what'd you expect.
They blabber. They blather. Every one
runs wild at the mouth. At his friend shouts.
At a certain moment White Horizon gives
up on his futile attempts to pull their attention, and
shuts up. With a penetrating gaze he scans the
blabbering crowd. Then, he grabs a heavy wood with
both hands and bends backwards like a spring. Several
attendees watch him with astonishment.
AND THEN HE BOUNCES HIS BODY FORWARD -
AND THRUSTS THE WOOD AT THE BIG TABLE WITH A GREAT
CRASHING SOUND. THE WOODEN TABLE ALL TURNS TO
DUST!!! Such absolute silence fell over the
tent, that only the sound of kettle feet could be
heard from outside.
White Horizon looks at them shortly, says "Thank
you!" in a loud and clear voice and then he shuts up
again, continuing to watch them with immense
presence. Nobody dares open their mouth for a whole
five blinks [minutes]
or so. Then White Horizon talks to them with a voice
so quiet but at the same time so clear that everyone
in the tent could hear him sharply.
He explains that there's no debate on their odds to
victory being slim at best. But they must THINK
differently and ACT differently, he says.
And then he makes them look forward to chances of
the future rather than failures of the past, by
asking his audience: "Once we DO WIN -
on which side d'you want to find yourself? On
the side that gave a fight - or on the side that
stood aside and grinned?"
Most everybody present raised their hands in
agreement, whether it was quietly or by waiving
intensely.
At this point White Horizon declares that despite
his respect to old desert traditions, this time
women will have full privileges to participate in
all parts of the struggle: from cooking for the
warriors and treating their wounds - all the way to
fighting up front if they chose to.
That was "breaking a law" right there.
The first man that jumps to express
objection gets such a fierce look from White Horizon,
that he's thrown backwards at the tent's post as if
hit by a rock. The other activists look at the man,
look at White Horizon, realizing that there's a man of
power before them. Each one, to himself, got the idea:
"Either I'm in this struggle with all my
friends - or I got no place in the Desert of Dry
Dragons."
Little Ma-Tilda, or in her new name Shiri, goes over
to hug White Horizon. She gives him a jewelry piece
belonging to her sister. "Please give it to her
when she gets out of prison, will you?" Shiri
asks quietly.
"Sweet," thinks White Horizon but says not a word,
"Nobody promised that she's ever gonna return alive
from prison."
He just nods, smiles at her shortly with his eyes and
goes back to continue and organize the rebellions into
action. He places the jewelry piece deep in his belt
pocket.
It was on that day that the Blue Eye Tigers got
organized for the first time. White Horizon, despite
his young age, was nominated unanimously to be their Chief
Commander.
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