Revenge

By John R. Mabry | 8th Grade | 14 years old

A fat fist plopped a bag of gold on the table before Alex. The wiry lad shook his hea, no. "Two, then, begger!" Alex looked up into the face of Prince Clarence. His once-handsom features were obscured by layers of fat. Alex spat.

"All right. Two, then. We leave tomorrow, at sunup." The Prince waddled through the doorway, puffing mightily. Alex looked after him with disgust. "So this was the man that caused my father's death," Alex thought, "And now you'll get yours." Alex remembered back two years, his father was on his deathbed, because of the measly wages offered to a messenger (his father), by this Prince. His father's last words to him were, "God help you, son; forgive the Prince." Last words or not, revenge was the only word he heard. Alex made better wages; he supported himself, and his aging mother comfortably. He was a hired guide for all the surrounding areas--now he was leading the Prince. The place to which he led was a series of caves just south of town. He knew the well as a small child, uniitil the dragon had moved in, but he was the only one who knew about that, and he intended to keep it a secret only so long.

One word floated in and out of his dreams thorugh the night...revenge...revenge...revenge....

Alex was halfway up the side of the mountain, when, looking back he saw that Prince Clarence was far behind. He sat on a large stone, waiting. A sweet melody whispered in the wind, the melody of this day. He caught it, learned it, and sang it to himslef. Looking back again, Alex saw that the Prince had slipped and was plummeting! Clarence caught hold of an out-jutting rock, and ws slipping. Alex's mind raced" "Let him go, and kill him now? No," he thought, "let him die my way!" Alex, in three short leaps, bounded down the mountain to the Prince and, catching hold of him, strenuasly dragged him to safety.

It didn't take long to reach the caves. There was one opening, which led to a huge cavern, which, in turn, led to all the other caves. there was another opening, at the other end of the cavern, and Alex himself could barely fit through. Alex slipped easily through the principal opening, but had to pull the Prince. Lighting a torch, Alex led Prince Clarence into the cavern. It wasn't a pretty cavern, with stalactites and stalagmites; it was dry dead rock, granite. The Prince looked around. "Yes," he said,"this will do quite nicely. The jewels should be safe here. Who else knows about these caves?"

"Myself, your magesty, and my friend Gimble. He won't give you any problems. He's, he's, well, dead."

"Good, good. I'll have them brought up tomor--good lord! What's that?"

The caverns shook with a loud roaring. Alex smiled, "Just a dragon, sir."

"Wha--?" The Prince looked frightfully at Alex, and, swearing oaths, ran towards the opening, but was stopped short by the appearance of...the dragon. The dragon shifted his paw, thereby blocking the opening of the cavern. The Prince stopped in his tracks, turning around, and, running back towards Alex, screamed, "Is there another opening, man!?"

"Yes," said Alex, and with one hand moved a boulder next to him, revealing a small shaft of sunlight two feet in diameter.

"But I--"

Ales, for the first time, saw the look of terror on the Prince's face, and realized what he had done. Suddenly, he did not WANT to kill the Prince, not for revenge, not for any reasons. For the first time, he realized that, no matter what he had done in the past, the Prince did not deserve death any more than any other man.

Seeing that the Prince was unarmed, Alex leaped in front of him, sword drawn. Alex stood before the dragon, and knew that it was hopeles. To strike would only make the dragon angrier; it was sudden death for sure, and there was no chance for escape. "No," he thought, "that would not do. The opening, yes, that was the only escape!" He bounded to the opening, and clawed at the rocks, but alas, they were solid.

He himself squeezed through easily, then, looking back, he saw that the dragon had moved, and the Prince was screaming hysterically. Alex yelled for him to come through the opening. A hand appeared, and, as Alex pulled, a head. The two eyes, swimming in a helpless sea of fat, stared out at him, and pleaded for help that could not be given. The mouth moved, "I-I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"No! No! By gods, you won't die!"

The man in the cave calmed, seeing for the first time the total hopelessness of the situation. He looked up at Alex again, and laughed a little.

"So," he said after a second, "It borught YOU to make me see myself, and you also, he? My just rewards? On earth? If so, I'll go happily. Let go my arm, good beggar, he's moved from the opening. Perhaps I can run around hiim ot the other doorway. Meet me there, if I make it. If not, I'll gladly make him a meal. NO, good beggar, it is not your fault, but it is what you wanted, is it not? Well, wish me luck, here I go!" The Prince's face disappeared into the cavern. Alex heard a shuffling, then a scream.

Not bothering to sheath his sword, Alex dragged it home. He stopped in a field next to the grave of his father. "Yes, father," he said, "I forgave him." Alex laid the sword on the mound and walked home sadly.