Quite early one morning Ben awoke to his familiar somber mood
Forlorn.  The way the sun caught her coppery hair, the lithe grace of her movements, and large violet eyes, her scent, the unconscious gestures, and the flicker and play of emotion across her exquisite face.  He lingered on her in a way he found most unsettling.

Another night alone
Another night not watching her dream
Another morning alone
Another melancholy morning

Staggering out of bed to find the horizon partially lined by crimson clouds reminded him of an old saying, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight.  Red sky at morning, sailor take warning."  If today was to be a success this sailor had to take the initiative and get motivated and seize the day.  So Ben decided to take an invigorating run through the woods.

After downing a few cups of Java he headed off toward the day's adventure.  Although the insects were out in droves he didn't mind, "Today is for me!  I have a fresh start on a new day".

The park was a mixture of hardwoods, evergreens and low-lying heather.  Great, rounded white boulders lay in scattered profusion among the dark green trees.  It was spring, and frogs sang lustily of love in the rushes at the lake's edge and throughout the woods.

It was shortly after sunrise when he reached the part of the trail that opened out into a birch forest.  The white trees lifted their limbs toward an intensely blue sky even though gray clouds were rolling in on a cool breeze.

A gentle, cleansing mist began to play on his face.  Thoughts reminiscent of childhood danced in his mind.  "I love running in the rain, it clenses th soul," he thought.

Birds played in puddles.  Young hawks soared just above the trees and a buck led his brood across the path.
Thick clouds had begun to tumble in.

I continued my run, although now at a accelerated pace.  How wonderful this was; rain fell as the sun was shining.  I looked for a rainbow and felt in sync with life.

Heavy clouds had completely hidden the sun; the park suddenly seemed sinister.  There was an ominous rumble of thunder off the south as I crossed the large wooden bridge.  Under the thick foliage I was sheltered and felt safe.  There was the roar of a downpour on the pavement and in the trees.  I decided that it would be best to go straight to the car even though I would have to leave the safety of the trail.  The shortest way to the car was to cross the road and cut through the woods.  I bolted, crossing the parkway and entering the safety of the forest.  Because of the darkness, I stumbled over a rock and fell to the soggy ground banging my face on the foot of a tree.  As I tried to regain my balance, I tripped again and fell into the rank, muddy waters of a gully.

Lightning struck a tall pine.  It exploded into a shower of white hot cinders and its trunk plunged into the gully.  From the brief fiery brilliance I caught a glimpse of something large darting from the woods.  Over the din of the falling torrent I heard the roar of a wild beast and the scream of a woman.

The banks of the gully began to liquefy preventing my exit from the rising jellied muck.  I scrambled to the fallen pine and used it as my ladder.  As I reached the crest, a female cry again filtered through the rain.  I ran down the road toward the bridge.  From the road I saw a figure at each end of the bridge; a woman and a very large cat.  Pacing back and forth the great feline tormented his prey, enjoying her primal fear.

Ben approached the bridge very slowly, silently reaching the railing.

With a dreadful intensity, the yellow eyes of the cat fell on his prey, then narrowed. The beast crouched, his belly low. Raising his upper lip to reveal very long, ivory teeth he took one slow step toward her, his great paw touching down softly.

Ben gave a piercing two-fingered whistle. The cat's eyes flickered toward him with annoyance.

Carefully, one step at a time, he crossed the intervening space until he had placed my body between the great feline and the woman. He watched warily, not seeming to realize what I was doing until it was too late. Then, cheated of his kill, the beast's face set stubborn; his eyes flat with unforgiving rage.

Squarely facing the ferocious animal, Ben drew a slow deep breath and said to her, "So that you shall know, should I fail to withstand him, I love you. I always have, I always will."

Her mind vaguely took in the words. Try as she might, she failed to comprehend their meaning.

Snarling, the savage feline crouched even lower. His tail lashed angrily for a moment, then stiffened. "Look out!" she screamed. The cat lunged. With complete abandon, Ben flung my arms wide and met the animal's charge. They came together with a resounding crash. Ben locked his arms around his opponents body. The mighty beast wrapped his huge paws around Ben's shoulders and back, his claws penetrating, shredding his flesh, his teeth gnashed as he gnawed at Ben's head and neck. Ben tightened his deadly embrace.

Scrambling to her feet the woman stared wide-eyed with fright at the horrific struggle.

The cat's clawing became more desperate as Ben's arms velentlessly tightened. Roars became yowls of pain, as the great feline struggled not to fight or kill, but to escape. He wriggled and thrashed. His hind paws came up to rake furiously at Ben's trunk. His cries grew more shrill, more desperate. With extraordinary effort, Ben jerked his arms together and herd the cracking of bones with sickening clarity. A fountain of blood erupted from the beast's mouth. The cat's body quivered, his head dropped. He unclenched my locked hands, and the beast slid limply from his grasp to the bridge with a hollow thud.

Stunned, the woman stared at the man in his tattered blood-smeared clothing. She had witnessed the unimaginable. He had killed the mighty beast with no weapons but his powerful arms. Her thoughts tumbled chaotically. Jolted out of coherence by the enormity of what she had just beheld, she found herself wailing with delight. Awed by the sheer force of the struggle, the act of selfless courage, her body trembled. Her soul filled with adoration for her champion. As I turned, her eyes grew wide with recognition. Now she understood my words. She was thunderstruck, "Oh, my love!" she exclaimed.

Once were betrothed, partners planning a common future. "I, I, I don't know what to say," she said sadly.

I shook my head, "There is nothing to say. Our relationship was intense, sometimes caustic, at other times phenomenal, even poetic. But it was always, always bittersweet. It was more bitter than sweet and so . . . " sorrowfully my voice trailed off.

"I loved you," she said.

"I know you did, and I you, but . . . " I was forced to retain my pose of indifference while she wistfully absorbed every feature of my face, as if storing up memories that would have to last her a lifetime.

I an instant of nostalgia I mused about the way the sun caught her coppery hair, the lithe grace of her movements, her large violet eyes, her scent, the unconscious gestures and the flicker and play of emotion across her exquisite face. I lingered on her in a way I found most unsettling.

She was even more beautiful than before. A thousand memories flooded my mind. We had shared soul to soul and the ties between us were so deep that no outsider could fully understand what passed between us in a single glance. It was with a glance that we finally separated from one another. It was best for us. The most loving thing we could do for each other. We gave ourselves the opportunity to go on with our lives.

The impassioned romance that so abruptly entered and filled my life was over, but it had changed me in so many, many ways that the man who once loved this woman no longer existed. I could feel the change. This day my personal power, my convictions reached a zenith. Now was my success, I had taken the initiative and seized the day.

Deep inside I felt this was only a beginning of something much larger and much more significant.  Today was not the end of my adventure, but the beginning.

Dull-headed and numb with exhaustion from battle, I turned and walked into the adventure and dubious safety of my life.  I had a fresh start on a new life.

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