As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

8- ❂❂ -VI

upon the road, which scare me most instead."

He strokes her hair and chuckles as he says:

"The winding road hath given me its worst

already. There is nothing that I fear

that it could onward throw at me from now."

But still the Doll persists: "Thou shouldst not go."

Her sobbing now intensifies as she

attempts to speak what races through her mind:

"I love thee, dear. Nay, love cannot begin

t'encompass what I know is in mine heart.                100

I never wish for us to be apart

or know a day again without thy voice.

We'll leave this city, cross the Middle Sea

if that is what it takes for us to stay

together. Simply don't leave south of here,

for know thou not the danger such contains!"

Our Preacher draws himself away but takes

her hands in his and sits upon the bed

beside them, urging her to sit as well.

Upon remaining stood, however, he                110

decides to say his words whilst looking up

to meet her teary eyes from down below:

"I love thee too, and though I think I'd like

to settle down with thee, I simply can't.

At least not whilst mine heart is still the mess

it is; I simply amn't ready yet

to make a bond more serious than what

we currently possess between ourselves."

The Doll withdraws a single hand from his

to place upon her belly ere she says:                120

"If such is how thou ache, then maybe this

may change thy mind and heal thee thine heart:

I know I told to thee I didn't know

who father'd me this child in my womb,

but that was only out of shame that I

obscur'd such information, for I know

that thou'rt the baby's father from when first

we laid together in my brothel room,

for thou'rt the only man I didn't make

to wear a skin when penetrating me.                130

This babe is thine the same as it belongs

to me. This child is thy Progeny."

Our Preacher freezes. Silently he drops

his gaze toward her bump a moment's time.

His mind is blank of all except the word;

the "Progeny" so utter'd by her lips.

In but a second, mem'ries flash across

his mind as something slips away from him—

a grasp'd reality or sense of time

or something of the sort he can't perceive—                140

before there's something snaps, withdrawn and cold.

"Thou'lt leave this place before I lose control."

The Doll begins to stammer where she stands

confus'd by his reaction to the news.

"Tis true! This baby doth belong to thee.

I wouldn't lie to thee. Thou art my love."

He rises from his seat upon these words

with heat exploding up toward his head

and slaps her 'cross the face as now he shouts:

"Thou'lt leave this place before I lose control!"                150

Her tears begin to well in eyes again,

as did before whilst fearing for his life.

But now they fall instead for broken heart

as gathering her clothes, the Doll departs

to fly into the night and disappear

whilst Preacher stands in bitterness and wrath

and reaches for the bottle on his stand—

a stinging pain aback his blacken'd hand.                 158