The Glowing Man

I was starving and weak. As I walked down this road with one man on my left, another on my right, I was surrounded by pain and suffering. The faces were dirty and scared. All eyes were on me. These two men were taking me somewhere, but I had no idea where. I wanted to avoid the stares, avoid the faces, but I couldn’t help myself. I was just as curious about them as they were about me.

As we turned the corner, someone in even more pain was lying on the ground. They were covered with a blanket from the waist up. Next to the blanket was a basket. The basket was empty, but the implication was there, calling out, “please help me.” This person under the blanket was moaning and his legs we’re moving slowly trying to comfort his soul.

And the legs were…. deformed. Not only were they bowlegged, but there was something wrong with them that was more severe. It was some type of disease. I was sure this person was dying. It was while I was taking in the legs and their grotesque nature that everything went black.

Suddenly I’m in the kitchen with several other people. Their faces are dirty too, but their expressions are light and inviting. I can smell the spices of the food that’s cooking and the anticipation of the meal we are about to enjoy and he’s got my mouth salivating. Sitting next to me a beautiful girl. This situation was getting better by the minute.

As we all prepare the table, a young man enters the room and instantly I’m drawn to him. It’s as if he glows. Like the pain and suffering that I had seen on the street just moments ago couldn’t touch him. He was smiling and gave off an aura of acceptance and genuine friendship.

I wasn’t the only one that was drawn to him. Everyone else was excited to see him. Everyone was happy. From the vantage point where I was sitting, I could only see him from the waist up. As he rounded the corner to shake my hand, that’s the first time that I saw his legs and realized this was the man that was out on the street covered with a blanket laying on the ground.

But it couldn’t be. That man was moaning in pain. He was dying. This man I was meeting, he was alive, vibrant. But his legs didn’t lie. This was definitely the same man from before.

We sat down to eat, and before I could even get in the first spoonful, there’s a bang at the door. Everyone is instantly on high alert. The bang comes again, louder. Someone gets up and walks to the door in a manner like their bodies made of cement.

When the door opens, four men walk in, led by the antithesis of the glowing man that I had just met. This other man was dark. Aggressive. Arrogant. But strong as an ox. His arms and neck are pure muscle.

He begins pushing people around with his demands. Everyone’s on eggshells. Then he turns to the attractive girl next to me and starts giving her a really hard time. Without even thinking, or maybe thinking about impressing the pretty girl, I decide I’m going to get up and I’m going to put this guy in his place. As soon as I got in his face, I realized I was no match for this man. He was going to destroy me. More than that, he was going to enjoy destroying me. All he needed was an excuse to fight and he would relish in the opportunity.

He brings his fist back, ready to throw the first blow, and as a stand there frozen, waiting to take it, the punch is caught by the glowing man’s hand. The glowing man pushes me aside and he and the evil men begin to fight. Each are throwing blows, landing some. The glowing man is just as strong as the dark one. They are both impressive, but I’m more impressed with the glowing man being just as strong as the other, without all the muscles. That is until the dark one goes for the legs, and the glowing man tumbles like a pile of bricks.

The dark man gets on top of the glowing man, now laying on the ground, and the dark men raises his fist, ready to rain punches down unto the glowing man’s face. As he releases the first blow, I wake up with a startle.

My heart’s pounding and I cannot get any of it out of my head. I look at the clock and curse at myself, thinking how I have to get up in just a few hours and go to my property law class. I tried going back to sleep, thinking of the glowing man, wondering if I’d ever see him again. I had no idea it was the first of many dreams with Samuel, and the next one, even more grabbing, would be the very next night…