I N F I N I T E S

What A Strange Man

    The being ran along the winding dirt road. It took many left turns and a few right. He was eager to see what lied at the end. He knew from the forest that the only types of things that could make noises like voices would be living creatures, and potential friends.
    He was running down a straight in the path when he finally saw it. A tall stacked wagon carrying all sorts of goods from carpets and baskets to vegetables and produce. The wagon driver was being barked at by a short rotund man with a finely curled red mustache.
    He wore a gray robe that would've almost touched the ground would it not have to move over his belly. He was hopping mad. The carriage driver was getting yelled at because he moved the horses moved over a deep ditch in the road, that the two front wheels were now stuck in.
    "You idiot! Even a blind man could've known there was a hole that big there!"
    The wagon driver was wearing a brown coat over a tan undershirt, and brown pants with torn up leather shoes on his feet. He had a wide brimmed hat on, meant to keep the sun out of his eyes. His graying hair drooped out the back of his hat, and his mustache was hanging off the sides of his lips.
    His expression was worried as he was being chewed out by the short man.
    "How are we supposed to get these items to town on schedule now!? Perhaps we can use you to carry everything you good for nothing mule man!"
    The wagon driver was too ashamed to say anything back to the short man.
    The being had been moving up behind the wagon all while the short man was throwing a fit. He did not quite understand what the short man was saying, but he could feel the dismay of the carriage driver. He walked up behind the short man and tried to put his hand on his shoulder but the man whipped around and smacked his hand out of the way.
    "And what would you be gawking at shoulder pads?"
    The being looked to his shoulders and at his attached shoulder fins.
    "I don't need someone to stand around and stare       at me and my problems all day. So if you have somethin to say, say it now before I take my. backhand to that stupid mask of yours!"
    The being didn't know what he said but he could sense the anger coming from the man's voice. The wagon driver was slightly relieved that the attention was being taken away from him for the moment being.
    It seemed that the man was just about to strike the being when a voice called out from behind the wagon:
    "Robert that's enough. You don't need to yell at everyone who comes down this road, and yelling at mister Briar won't help either."
    From out of the wagon stepped a blonde haired woman. She was wearing a yellow dress with white daisy pattern and white trim. She had a blue stone pendant around her neck. She had wrinkles on the sides of her lips from all the years of smiling. Eyes as green as oak leaves were the focal point of her face Her hair was tied up in a uniquely braided bun, and she had two silver dove earrings.
    "I am so sorry mister Briar my husband can be very short tempered. And..."
    She turned to the being
"I think that this good sir's mask is quite practical given how bright it is today."
   She clasped the being's hand into her own, and she looked into his eye.
    "I do hope you can forgive my husband."
    Her smile warmed his whole body. There was something about the way she talked. It was like the feeling of a warm campfire on a cold night, or like looking out over a field of sun blanketed flowers.The way she held his hand wasn't grasping or forceful. Instead it was with gentleness and human touch.
    Bright. He liked that word. He really liked that word.
    "What is your name kind sir?"
    She asked with curiosity.
    "Brite"
    The being said.
    He did not know what she really asked or anything she said, but he liked the word and decided that it was going to be what he would call himself.
    The short man named Robert was grumbling over by the side of the road. He was mumbling about how difficult it is to find good help, and how he needed to be on time yet never was.
    The woman looked at her husband and then back at Brite.
    "Well it is lovely to meet you mister Brite, My name is Erwyn. As much as I would love to stay and chat I have to find some way to get our wagon unstuck. I hope we meet again in town."
    Her hands slipped away from his and she turned back to the carriage to try to help and lift the wheels out of the ditch.
    Brite looked down at his hands. That was the first time he ever felt that warm inside. He looked back up to see Erwyn struggling to lift the wooden wheels out from the ditch. He would not let her kindness be wasted.
    He stepped behind and around to the other side of the wagon. He bent down and firmly grasped the spokes of the dirt covered wheel. His body seemed to glow with a heavenly light, and he began to lift the entire front of the wagon. The wood creaked and groaned but held together. It was a sort of truly amazing strength, as the wagon had its front half filled with goods like produce, handmade carpets, and baskets. Not even two work horses could lift the wagon out of the ditch, but he could.
    The wagon driver took notice of the sudden movement, and he directed the horses to move away from the ditch. Brite continued lifting as the wagon turned and moved. The short man turned to face the wagon and saw that it was back in moving capability. His wife stood in awe at the wagon. She thought for a moment that she might have actually lifted the wagon out then disregarded it as impossible.
    Then from the other side of the wagon they saw Brite walk out. They marveled at this stranger. They did not see how he lifted the wagon but knew that it could've only been him.
    He strode around to the front of the wagon where he stroked his hand along one of the horses neck. He glanced back at the short man and Erwyn and made a V with his fingers.
    "Peace."
    He said with a gleeful tone.
    He then continued his walk down the road with a what can only be in his case a smile.
    The short man walked back to the wagon and began to set things back in order, placing vegetables back in their baskets. Erwyn was still in awe of what had happened.
    "A very strange man isn't he?"
     The man said as he placed cabbage into a woven straw basket.
    The woman looked back down the road at Brite and smiled.
    "What a strange man indeed."