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
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