The Bread And Wine

[Andy is writing a series of short stories for The Bread & Wine - this is the first...]

by Andy Masters

None but the Pilgrim would fully understand the events of the night before, though he was quite used to this feeling he longed for a future when there would be someone there to share in his story. Someone to see the battles and the wounds traded back and forth as he clumsily followed his invisible captain to war. The Pilgrim knew that although there may have been a small victory the war was far from over, if he could muster just enough strength to move one foot forward perhaps the other would follow. And so he ventured out again into the unknown, fears grasping at his heart, truth hard to find, and yet amid all the confusion he had a strange sense that he was heading in the right direction.

A red sun began to set behind the Pilgrim as he walked the familiar road home, he felt something in his face that caught him almost completely off guard…yes he was smiling. Question and confusion stilled and for that moment life was good, perspective had changed and the change brought peace and joy. Maybe this was how it was meant to be; maybe this was closer to real life than any of his dreams had ever been.

The dance between great heart ache and great joy was well underway and how this dance was to end none could tell. What the Pilgrim did know was that he was faced with a choice – he could fear the ending and miss out on the dance completely, or he could embrace it for what it was and dance with all of his might. Letting himself go to enjoy every step, even those that were on his partner's toes and known to others as mistakes. Tonight he knew he was in the right place and for the moment that was enough, tonight he would allow tomorrow to be self indulgent. And with that thought he herd sleep calling, he willing answered and rested.