THE WARLORD'S LAMENT
POSTCARD #26 • Be careful what you wish for
The sobs were quiet, stifled. Luke tried to hide the tears, but couldn’t.
The woman lifted her gaze from the flames to the boy’s tear-streaked face. “Why are you crying?”
“I wish my mommy and daddy were still alive.”
The woman was quiet. “Be careful what you wish for.”
“He killed them,” the boy said through gritted teeth.
“Who?”
“Ojos Locos.” Luke spat the name out like bad water.
She nodded slowly. “Do you know what that means?”
“Crazy Eyes. And they were crazy, I saw them. Were they always like that?”
She shook her head and rubbed her hands together in front of the fire, but said nothing.
Luke watched the flames dance, remembering the eyes, reliving the fear. “What could have made his eyes crazy like that?”
“Before he was Ojos Locos, he was the village chief. A settlement south of here. Good land. Farms. But it attracted the wrong people.”
“Takers, is what my mom and dad used to call them.”
“Yes. Takers. Also raiders. Harriers. The chief and some men from the settlement fought. They beat the takers back… for a while.”
“Is that when his eyes went crazy?”
“It was the start. Stronger men came.”
Luke listened, the fire danced in his eyes. “What did he do?”
“What could he do?”
The boy shrugged. “Run…”
“No, but he probably wishes he had. Some wanted to run. The chief convinced them to stay and fight. To protect what was theirs. They did. Each raid was worse than the one before. There were heavy losses. Then his scouts brought back news that a neighboring region was forming an army.”
“Is that when his eyes went crazy?”
“Not quite. The chief set out that night, desperate, to the hermit’s cave on the outskirts of their territory. It was rumored that the man in the cave was a miracle worker.”
“The chief went looking for a miracle?”
“Yes.”
“Did he find one?”
“No. A curse.”
“Is that when his eyes went crazy?”
“No. But he was different after the oracle.”
“How?”
“He was very strong. Powerful. He fought off raids singlehandedly. Then he brought the fight to the amassing army.”
“Did he win?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“What do you mean?”
“He destroyed the other army, but while he was gone, a neighbor took advantage of the undefended settlement. By the time the chief and his men returned, there was nothing left to protect. The fields had all been burned. Houses destroyed. His people were executed…or worse.”
Luke looked at the woman.
“Yes. That was when his eyes went crazy.”
“So the miracle man was real?”
“Yes. But his miracle came with a price. The chief thought he could bear any cost for his people. But his lust for power, however noble, had consequences. Losing his family, his land, it drove him mad. Corrupted him. Now he’s like them. A killer. A taker.”
“How do you know all of this?”
“I was there. I wanted to fight. I tried to follow when he went to face the army. He told me no. To go home, back to Momma. So I turned around, but when I got back the chaos had already begun. I hid and watched. That was a long time ago. I was just a girl. He thinks I’m dead.”
“Is he still alive? The miracle man?”
“Yes. But he won’t do miracles.”
“How do you know?”
“I asked.”
“Where is he now?”
The woman stared into the fire for a long time before answering. “Be careful what you wish for...”
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