The Winged Throne

Another Dawn

As the darkness of night faded into the gray haze of the predawn hour, the only sound out of place in the forest was the sound of sneakers on the soft ground. They were moving fast, crushing twigs and and scattering small creatures as the owner pursued his prey. The stag was fast and alarmed, bounding its way through the bushes to escape its hunter. But the hunter was experienced in this sport, predicting how the beast would move. No matter how many times the deer darted left or right, it could tell the predator was gaining. Suddenly, it felt a sudden increase of pressure on its body, then the sudden impact of it crashing to the ground. Desperately and frantically, he kicked and rolled to break free. The predator relented, releasing the stag and climbing to his feet as the creature bolted away.

Chuckling to himself, Aleks brushed the dirt off his arms and smiled. He loved his schedule; out of bed and out the door by 4 a.m., Physical exercise including strength building, flexibility, and endurance until 5 a.m., shower at 5:10, Breakfast at 5:20, double check homework and answer email at 5:45, something creative and artistic (usually origami or poetry) at 6:15, and finally hop on the school bus at 6:30 for a 7 o'clock arrival at school, which left him half an hour to meet with teachers, his volleyball coach, or just relax and wait for 1st period Honors English. 

Could life get any better?

 Jogging home, he admired the colors of the sunrise. Mostly orange at this time, but with a little pink where the the light met the gray blankness of predawn. He loved that time, when all colors are gone, only in shades of gray. Black and white. Light and shadow. Good and evil. Except not, for the world was all in gray. The good and evil mixed, intertwined, just as it was in the real world. Ah, philosophy. Second only to rhetoric, He thought And maybe poetry. 

Continuing his morning regime, he was in the middle of his eggs benedict when he saw the news. A fourth high-ranking government official in Poland was arrested for corruption and possibly treason. The Eastern European country was struggling to climb in wealth and power, but it was still going. Like a Tortoise. Not the reptile, the British tank. Slowly advancing, breaking down now and then, sinking in the mud. A shame really, He thought to himself. But no time to ponder, it was 5:44. Onward to the next battle.