In the Next Life, Canto III, stanzas 295-300

As one who woos, however, he would wait,
while as a mortal threat he blocked the door.
And then the man who now controlled her fate
said “Toto! We’re not Outside any more!”

He could have done her any sort of harm,
and, though she’d never seen the likes of him,
she was surprised to hear his voice turn warm.
“No time to waste; let’s get those pants on, Slim.

“You have a choice: to go and join your friends,
or, if you like, to stay and help me drive.
The former finds you free, but there it ends.
The latter—well, at least you’re left alive.”

She marveled at how calmly he could speak
concerning people’s violent demise,
for she lived in a world where to be meek
was to be normal, even for the guys.

“Please turn your head,” she asked, and he complied—
another sign that he was not a brute.
“There must be culture left on the outside,”
thought Esther as she buttoned up her suit.

He stepped aside and let her walk ahead,
both conscious of the placement of her boots.
She made her choice known not by what she said,
but rather by retracting all the chutes.

Not a brute: Since we are not getting this from C's viewpoint, we are left to presume the influence of Darna as an explanation for this noble behavior. Otherwise, it’s difficult to imagine a man of Ciral’s upbringing not taking advantage of this situation.

©2011 Louis A. Merrimac

In the Next Life, Canto III, stanzas 287-292

With nothing to look forward to alone,
she had mixed feelings when she saw a face.
He wasn’t one of what she’d call her own,
though she did not belong to any race.

I haven’t touched on that: Was Ciral white?
I picture him with features much like mine.
In multi-choice, though, choice ‘E’ would be right.
You’re welcome to replace my face with thine.

Or Esther, if you’re of the fairer sex.
Her forebears might have dreaded the same Hell,
but nobody ran ethnic background checks,
so she was All of the Above as well.

The young man who around the bulkhead peered
was not completely strange, then, to her eyes.
The long and unkempt hair seemed rather weird,
as did the dirt and ragged leather guise.

Behind the dirt, the skin was rather dark.
Behind the leather, it was pretty tough.
Despite the wicked grin she felt a spark.
If cleaned and clothed, he might be half enough.

As one who woos, however, he would wait,
while as a mortal threat he blocked the door.
And then the man who now controlled her fate
said “Toto! We’re not Outside any more!”

©2011 Louis A. Merrimac