Game Date 11.27.2001

Dreams of the Past: Food

He crept up on the low, plain structure. There were voices on the inside, talking about the day's drills. Nobody said this was going to be easy, he thought. But if they don't feed us, we have to feed ourselves. He was alone this evening, because his dorm mates had gotten food their own way. Being alone wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Coming back home without food was, and the instructor was sure to give him a beating if he came back with no food. So the determination was there inside of him. He was getting something to eat if it was the last thing he did.

But wasn't he supposed to be in San Francisco where food was plentiful?

There would be time enough for that when he'd gotten back with some food. He crept in through the window. There were Spartiates all around eating, laughing, wrestling and pounding the tables. Fortunately, they weren't looking at him. He went to someplace out of the way so he could remain unseen. He'd get mercilessly beaten if he got caught.

Since when did somebody get beaten for trying to eat?

No time for that, either. Someone had just left some bread unguarded on a back table. He crept up and looked around to make sure that no one was watching. He looked around for a few moments, then darted for the bread. He reached the bread and snatched it from the plate. He then went back to the shadows, of which there were not many. Once in the sparse shadows, he began to plot his way out. Hiding this bread in his tunic was difficult, but the instructor had taken his cloak, so that option was out. He'd been through this so many times he hadn't even noticed the cold.

That is, until he saw the guard's breath.

Unfortunately, the guard saw his at about the same time. He said, “There'll be a beating for you, boy. I'll enjoy wearing you out for stealing our food and failing.” Curse cold weather, he thought. Well, time to prove you should be a Spartiate.

Spartiate? Isn't that from Sparta? Does that make me a Spartan? I thought I was a Hurricane...

He started to run. The guard, who was a grizzled veteran, readied his spear. Why chase him when you can pin him? The guard threw the spear. He caught the spear and threw it back, catching the guard unprepared. Unfortunately, he wasn't that unprepared and dodged the return throw. This gave him a lead on the guard that he hoped would be sufficient to get him where he needed to go. He started to sprint toward his dorm.

The guard just didn't give up and kept chasing him. He decided to take the scenic route to confuse the guard. Besides, Sparta was a rocky place, which gave the guard more to stumble over. It was a mark of supreme confidence that he thought he wouldn't slip. Fortunately, the assertion didn't cost him. But it didn't cost the guard, either. He hoped he had that kind of staying power when he was that age. But that was why children like him were trained this way. He wondered how the guard stole his food as a child. He decided that he didn't care at the moment. The guard made it to where he needed to go, and now it was his turn. He turned close to another dorm, hoping the guard would think it was his.

The ploy worked. The guard went into the dorm looking for him, and he ran to his dorm. He successfully avoided the beating and hunger.

Is this how you came up? Asked Chris.

Welcome to my world, said Brasidas.

Not quite as bad as two-a-days, said Chris.