Glory Lasts Forever

Glory Lasts Forever

Hiding behind an old elm tree, trying to breathe without sound, I peeked out trying to see my enemies in the dark moonless night. I could hear the crunch of stones on the road before me. One guard was very near. I could not see him, but I could see another one eighty feet away backlit by a bonfire fifty feet further away. I knew there was a third guard but he must have been on the other side of the brick building which stood across the road and to my left. My goal lay past the three guards... somewhere. My only thought was that I must reach it to save my friends from captivity.

Then I saw him. The nearest guard passed right in front of me moving to my right down the road; crunch, crunch, crunch. The third guard emerged from the front of the building and met the second guard. I heard them speak but I was too far away to understand the words. They both turned suddenly and rushed off, out of sight, in front of the building. The time had come. I had a clear path. I knew that I would have to be very fast and lucky. I also knew that as soon as I hit the road the noise would give me away and all the guards would converge on me.

I took a deep breath before I burst out from behind the tree. Running, in an all out sprint, I crunched across on the road in three strides. "ENEMY!" The nearest guard on the road cried loud as he turned to chase me down. All I could do was keep going as fast as my legs could carry me. It felt like an eternity, though only seconds had passed. I reached the front of the building turning my head left to see the two guards twenty feet away, my captured comrades just behind them sitting quietly on the ground. The guards saw me and came running my way. My comrades jumped to their feet and started screaming, "GO, GO, GO..." I sighted my goal straight ahead and realized then that no one would be able to catch me. A sweet joy began to swell in me. I had done it. Without breaking stride, I kicked the empty one gallon can. It flipped and spun up and arcing down bouncing, clanking and clanging about 20 yards away. I screamed at the top of my lungs, "ALLEE, ALLEE, ALL'S IN FREE!" Still running at top speed but circling back toward my teammates, my arms in the air. My team had won. I stopped running and started jumping up and down. I watched as they ran to my side with pats and hoots and thanks. We all talked and laughed and enjoyed the moment.

After a short time, but long enough for the excitement to die down, the Captain waded through the group of kids, stepped up to me, and shook my hand, "Good job my boy!" Then he turned to the group, "Cadets, back to the Big House. Let's get cleaned up and hit the rack."

I was ten years old and the Captain was my father. We lived at Williams Military Academy where he and my mother were teachers. All the cadets loved and respected my parents. The boys treated me like a favored prince. That was one of the happiest moments in my life. I slept very well that night feeling like a real hero. For days I walked quite tall and proud dreaming of the day that I could be a hero again.

Competition produces victory; victory feeds glory; glory lasts forever.

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