The Dove

by Pat Fleckenstein

I heard the call of a distant dove, and I walked off into the forest. The trees covered over me until my shadow was no longer at my side. I stopped by a cool and bubbling stream to dampen my hands. The icy waters rippled under my touch. I sat down beside the brook against a rock to inhale the beauty around me. The trees about me rustled in a breeze that I could not feel on the floor of this great garden. The sunlight sparkled yellows and golds in shimmering beams between the trees.

As I got up, the shirt I wore felt damp from leaning on a small patch of moss on the stone. The dust fell from my pantlegs. I inhaled deeply and set off again.

Quietly, I walked past a family of rabbits who were rummaging for edible leaves in the undergrowth. They watched me with silent curiosity that did not quiver until I had passed. I felt good about this.

The path I walked was not often walked by humans. Deer used it.

I could hear the dove calling, and I followed. It was not long before I was at the edge of a great clearing. I spotted the dove to my left. I dropped noiselessly to my knees and gazed upon the beauty of the dove.

``A-7 and stationary.''

The warbling from within this creature was as fascinating as anything I had ever witnessed.

``Still there.''

The cocked-head movements of this little bird excited my interest.

``Closing In.. CONVERGE! converge.''

A passive relaxation soaked into my being.

``Grab him!''

``Why, sir?'' questioned Trooper A-35.

``He cannot be here! No one can be here! Get him back inside.''

``He isn't hurting anyone, sir.''

In a moment, fifteen men were around me. Two picked me up and walked me back to the prisoner transport. The others wrestled Soldier A-35 along behind me.

When I arrived at Cell Block three of the D-917-51D1, I sat down on my cot. In the next cell, a small struggle ended with the clang of the door closing.

``What was that beautiful sound?'' asked Trooper A-35 from behind the wall.

``A dove, a dove... '' I answered.

We heard the dove calling in the distance.

Pat Fleckenstein, (aka Midnight Poet) is a Freshman at Rochester Institute of Technology where he majors in Comp Sci major and lives in Computer Science House. He feels that life is so much more than the socially imposed hype and hopes his work (poetry, sci-fi, art, and Stuff) can help more to see that. His favorite pastime activity though is ``getting meta-physical'' with his girlfriend Lisa. ``Remember, Infinity is Really Big.''

He can be reached at pat@ritcsh.cs.rit.edu

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