muscle.Its feet were those of a bear standing upright.
Not once did it look at the man. Its eyes were riveted on the puck . To the side, away from the monster, a passage beckoned. Turning the puck led him from the bridge.
His head pounded. Waves of dizziness forced him to stop leaning by walls of rock. He felt the brush of air, frigid but clean ... He could smell water. A lesser dark took shape in front. Lights twinkled in it. Releasing the goat he began to hurry forward .He came out on the side of a mountain lit by a climbing moon. Glaciers flowed from side valleys into a giant moraine striped glacier that stretched out of sight. Breaking a chunk of ice he sucked until his mouth was numb.
Moonlight picked out forest in the lowlands.Resting for a moment he took time to examine his feet.. They were caked in mud . He could sit on a rock and freeze or he could get out of these mountains. Rising to his feet he set off.Soon the fatigue and cold had combined to become unbearable. Every thought was a litany of pain.
“Stop. For the love of God. No more.” From somewhere deep in his being a spark of defiance began to brighten.He began a conversation with his body. See the top of that slope? Reach the crest then you can stop…Get to the other side., Then you can rest Every time he reached the place intended, he continued.. The suffering part of him would rail You did not stop… You promised… and the survivor would reply, if you get to the top of the next hill, the one over there, I will stop . At the next hill he would break his promise. It was peculiar but it kept him moving.
Dawn was breaking as he shuffled close to where he had seen lights .By this time every step needed a deliberate act of will. From a long way off he could hear dogs barking, something rushed at him, hitting him in the chest. He fell, teeth ripping at his legs, reaching for his throat. He tried to push them away. Sounds of voices . He knew no more…
Spring of the following year brought a girl child for Molly McGinty. The country was filled with talk of peace . Animosities were suspended on a local level as women from the locality came up the boreen to see the new baby.The day the child was baptised McGinty became more drunk than at any time in his life. In this he was ably assisted by a deputation from His Majesty’s. McGinty was exiled to the barn to lodge with the goat. He was allowed back in the house when he sobered up and scrubbed himself in the river . .
Time flies in a home filled with happiness and before long the valley was full of flowers and it was May Eve once more. ..As night came Moll wrapped the child and took her up the mountain. She sat on the rock, still warm with the last of the sun.
“That is a grand sight”. The Hag sat by her.
“Hallo mother”.
“Can I hold her?”
The hag took the baby in her arms She began to sing in a soft voice.. The baby opened her eyes ,..
“How is he?” Asked Moll.
“He is gone beyond my view.”
“Will he ever return?”
“He will be changed if he does. What name will you give her?””
“I was thinking of Saoirse”
“A grand name, to be sure.
Highway Robbery
Mira woke to the new day, birds clamouring , insects buzzing. She would break camp, and eat in the late morning. … A stone bridge crossed the Blackwater. Now the river would be on her left. Something told her that her days of ease were nearing their end. Rather than hurry she slowed her pace to enjoy the last of them.
As evening came the forest drew back at the Falls of Doon. A deep pool beckoning she undressed in the shadow of a tall rock. The water was delicious, still warm with a hint of cool . She set the horses to graze near water. Finishing an early meal, she looked
Not once did it look at the man. Its eyes were riveted on the puck . To the side, away from the monster, a passage beckoned. Turning the puck led him from the bridge.
His head pounded. Waves of dizziness forced him to stop leaning by walls of rock. He felt the brush of air, frigid but clean ... He could smell water. A lesser dark took shape in front. Lights twinkled in it. Releasing the goat he began to hurry forward .He came out on the side of a mountain lit by a climbing moon. Glaciers flowed from side valleys into a giant moraine striped glacier that stretched out of sight. Breaking a chunk of ice he sucked until his mouth was numb.
Moonlight picked out forest in the lowlands.Resting for a moment he took time to examine his feet.. They were caked in mud . He could sit on a rock and freeze or he could get out of these mountains. Rising to his feet he set off.Soon the fatigue and cold had combined to become unbearable. Every thought was a litany of pain.
“Stop. For the love of God. No more.” From somewhere deep in his being a spark of defiance began to brighten.He began a conversation with his body. See the top of that slope? Reach the crest then you can stop…Get to the other side., Then you can rest Every time he reached the place intended, he continued.. The suffering part of him would rail You did not stop… You promised… and the survivor would reply, if you get to the top of the next hill, the one over there, I will stop . At the next hill he would break his promise. It was peculiar but it kept him moving.
Dawn was breaking as he shuffled close to where he had seen lights .By this time every step needed a deliberate act of will. From a long way off he could hear dogs barking, something rushed at him, hitting him in the chest. He fell, teeth ripping at his legs, reaching for his throat. He tried to push them away. Sounds of voices . He knew no more…
Spring of the following year brought a girl child for Molly McGinty. The country was filled with talk of peace . Animosities were suspended on a local level as women from the locality came up the boreen to see the new baby.The day the child was baptised McGinty became more drunk than at any time in his life. In this he was ably assisted by a deputation from His Majesty’s. McGinty was exiled to the barn to lodge with the goat. He was allowed back in the house when he sobered up and scrubbed himself in the river . .
Time flies in a home filled with happiness and before long the valley was full of flowers and it was May Eve once more. ..As night came Moll wrapped the child and took her up the mountain. She sat on the rock, still warm with the last of the sun.
“That is a grand sight”. The Hag sat by her.
“Hallo mother”.
“Can I hold her?”
The hag took the baby in her arms She began to sing in a soft voice.. The baby opened her eyes ,..
“How is he?” Asked Moll.
“He is gone beyond my view.”
“Will he ever return?”
“He will be changed if he does. What name will you give her?””
“I was thinking of Saoirse”
“A grand name, to be sure.
Highway Robbery
Mira woke to the new day, birds clamouring , insects buzzing. She would break camp, and eat in the late morning. … A stone bridge crossed the Blackwater. Now the river would be on her left. Something told her that her days of ease were nearing their end. Rather than hurry she slowed her pace to enjoy the last of them.
As evening came the forest drew back at the Falls of Doon. A deep pool beckoning she undressed in the shadow of a tall rock. The water was delicious, still warm with a hint of cool . She set the horses to graze near water. Finishing an early meal, she looked
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