4Perspectives - Kindness
Author's Note: This was something I wrote for a Dark Age of Camelot (DAoC) writing contest. DAoC is an MMORPG computer game. I do not own this game in any way and Hibernia, Albion, and Midgard are the 3 realms of DAoC. Enjoy!
It was a calm winter night back in 1864 when I met him. Feeling cold, alone, and desperate, I started crying. The shack I lived in had burned down five days before our meeting. Severe burns covered my body although I survived the fire. I could not speak to ask for help; all I could do was lay still and watch silently as passerby's merely glanced at me. After what seemed like weeks of living on the streets, I finally found some shelter at a nearby guard tower. Why or how he stumbled upon me is still a mystery to me. Perhaps he was trying to commit suicide and ran all the way to the top of the tower to jump off, but I guess I'll never know.
His eyes were glazed over when he saw me sitting there with tears threatening to pour down my face. He asked me what was wrong, but I could not reply. A worried look appeared on his face, and I knew he was contemplating whether to carry on with his own task or to help me. Miraculously, he chose to help. He placed me on his lap and wrapped his arms around my body to keep me warm. I heard him comment on what a poor little thing I was. We just sat there for the next couple of hours as I listened to him tell me stories animatedly. He told me he was a scientist, specifically, an alchemist. His knowledge of everything in Hibernia was definitely astonishing. Telling me to keep it a secret, he smiled mischievously and said, "Today is the shortest day of the year, but that's not the best part. I've heard that it snows in places like Midgard and Albion, but because our climates are different, we don't usually see snow in Hibernia. However, I've been watching the weather lately, and I think there's a good chance of it snowing in Hibernia tonight." Can you imagine it? Snow in Hibernia! I have never seen snow before; I wonder what it's like. Is it as white and fluffy as the birds claim it to be? They must know, since they can fly so high and travel to Midgard and Albion.
After a few more stories about our relics and such, a serious look was plastered onto his face. Very slowly and carefully, he turned to me and asked, "Would you like to come live with me?" I was so happy he wanted to take me in. All I could do was whimper softly, hoping that he would understand I would be more than willing to live with him. A bright smile covered his face and he scooped me up, carrying me with one hand, and took me home. I was only a little puppy back then, but now, with children of my own, I still live with him. I have the utmost confidence that our friendship, although started on the shortest day of the year, will last forever. I saw something that resembled snow that night as well. It was his kindness, showering upon me, and it felt just as white, innocent, peaceful, calm, and fluffy. The only difference was, it had the ability to warm my heart.