(Extended Original Draft)

We are here, we watch the city.

We are the ones who respond.
If they come with hands open to take, or hands closed to hit.
If they come with words that are false, or words that are threats.
We are the ones who respond.

We are here, we watch the city.
We walk overnight, we walk overday.
We walk along paths, we walk overland.
If you need any help, call the guard of the Djeb.

–

They call to us, of a winged creature. I respond.
They come to me, they fear the unknown.
I stand for them, I am their safety.
I must remain calm.

The guard’s process.
Step one is discover. What is the conflict?
Step two is confirm. What is the nature?
Step three is intervene. Can it be done by reason?

Step one is discover. I speak to them, what is the conflict?
The creature entered the city, It isn’t too big.
The creature entered the city, it looks just like us.
She is smaller though.

I speak to them. What has it done?
Voices, murmurs, shrugs, suspicion.
Wings, a sword, teeth, suspicion.
I cannot act on suspicion.

Step two is confirm. I must speak to the creature.
She says she is Yaska, from the east.
She says she is passing through, to an inn.
She says— I interrupt her.

Yaska May Dawngale,
Yaska, one of the five Solune Legends.
Yaska, one of the heroes of the east.
Yaska, unbelievable might.
Yaska, of the Plainkind.

Step three is intervene. I must reason with the people.
The Plainkind has not caused any trouble.
The Plainkind should not be suspicious.
The Plainkind is a Solune hero.

–

The flames rise into the sky, and we respond.
How could this happen, here on the shore?

“Get the people out of the district.”

The flames cannot be stopped.

They spread along buildings and homes.

I watch.

What can we do?

“Hannah, focus on the people.”

I focus on the people.
I focus on the process.
The guard’s process.

Step one is discover.
The conflict is not the fire, it’s the people escaping it.
Step two is confirm.
The nature is not to rescue the homes, it’s to rescue the people.

Step three is intervene. Can it be done by reason?
I say, “take them to the eastern district.”
I say, “take them across the canal.”
I say, “take them, lead them there.”

Guards discover people in homes, so they don’t get trapped.
Guards create checkpoints, to confirm their path, and their safety.
Guards intervene with inns, to find places for them.

The people are safe, but the fires still burn.
It moves towards the east.
It moves towards the canal.

–

It’s too big for a line of buckets.
But we try nonetheless.

I take an empty bucket,
I fill it with seawater,
I pass it down the line,
I take an empty bucket…

The rhythm of buckets,
has become automatic.

And I stare out into the sea.
The islands of mountains.
The dim of the sky.
The winged shadow.
Rising from the east.

It shot from the city, into the air.
It shot from the air, over the sea.
It shot from the sea, onto an island.

Suddenly, the tip of the mountaintop breaks off.
A feat of strength, it’s lifted from its perch.
I watch as it’s launched into the air.
I watch as it falls into the sea, just off the shore.
I watch the waves, they echo off the island.
They head towards our shoreline.

I point, I shout, “tidal wave”

The guards follow the path of the people.
We exit to the eastern district.
And the waves come to the flames.

Water hits the shore and rises,
Momentum cracks against the beaches.
The waves hit the buildings,
And the flames drown.

–

“Do you think my wave did more damage than the fire might have?”

Hannah shrugged, “a drenched and damaged structure is better than a pile of ash.”

Daniel Triumph.

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P.S.

Somewhat inspired by a couple of songs from Falling Up’s second album, Dawn Escapes: Searchlights and Marathons. This is a situation in the Djeb that I’ve been thinking about for a while. Never thought it would come out as a sort of long poem though.