26 Conflict

[Stephen Whiteside]

26 Conflict

© Stephen Whiteside 08.11.2011

They awoke at sundown.

Standing a short time later near the banks of the creek, Horatio turned to Magnifico.

Let’s go!

What do you mean let’s go? Let’s go where?

Downstream. In search of the river. In search of the big wide world. In search of a peanut cow.

But this is the big wide world. Haven’t you seen enough of the big wide world, anyway? Why would you want to leave here? We have all we need. Shelter. Food. Water. What could possibly be better than this?

But there’s nothing here!

There’s everything here!

Horatio looked at Magnifico, shocked and puzzled. This was quite unexpected.

But you can’t be serious, Magnifico? What about our great adventure? It’s only just begun!

I’ve had enough adventures in the last few days to last a life-time, Horatio. I thought I was as good as dead on more than one occasion. That I didn’t die still seems quite extraordinary to me, and now to have arrived at such a place of bounty as this seems nothing short of a miracle.

But...but...but…

Horatio was lost for words.

I can’t stay here, Magnifico. I just can’t.

Then you’ll have to go without me, Horatio. I’m not leaving.

The two stood side by side for a long time, and said nothing. The moon came out. It was a full moon, and lit up the world like a second sun.

It’s a perfect night for travelling, Magnifico. What a joy it will be to stroll along the banks of this creek, moon and stars blazing above, water gurgling happily by our side. That’s living!

I’d be quite happy to crawl back into our little tunnel and go back to sleep. The moon and stars can take care of themselves.

And so it was a stale-mate. Horatio was completely flummoxed. Night travel had been his plan from very early, but they had always found themselves out of sync for some reason. Now, finally, all the stars had lined up in their favour (literally!) and Magnifico did not want to move.

Horatio thought and thought and thought. He dreamt of a peanut cow. It had kept him going through hardship, and it had kept Magnifico going at times, too. Now that things were finally a bit easier, Magnifico wanted to drop the dream. True, Magnifico had never believed in it anyway, but it had still been a dream and there were times when any dream, even an impossible dream, had been important. And an impossible dream was better than no dream at all. And Magnifico seemed to have no dream. Or no dream beyond eating, drinking and sleeping, and that’s not a dream, that’s just the basics of life. The very basics. And Horatio didn’t believe the peanut cow was an impossible dream, anyway.

And yet… And yet… Horatio had to admit that Magnifico, in the short space of time he had known him, had been a wonderful friend. The best friend he had ever had. Easily. He didn’t know why. They just seemed to click. Or, at least, he had thought so, until now. They were not clicking at all. Indeed, they were unclicking.

What to do? What to do?

In spite of his wishes, Magnifico had not trotted off to bed. Perhaps he realised that something very important was going on here. Something that needed to be resolved right here and now.

I’m sorry, Magnifico, but I can’t stay here. I’m leaving.

The two looked at each other. Magnifico was too stunned to say anything.

What was the protocol here? Horatio wondered. Should they shake hands? Embrace? In the end, Horatio did none of this. With nothing more than a brief nod, he turned and walked downstream.

His heart felt heavy. The footsteps dragged. What was he doing? Abandoning his best friend? His only friend? This can’t be right. Surely this was not right. And yet, what else could he do? What choice did he have?

And so he continued. Footstep after weary footstep, slowly but surely increasing the gap between them.

He began to count. 1...2...3… 49...50...51…

Suddenly, he became aware of the sound of footsteps approaching rapidly from behind.

[Maureen K Clifford]

The peanut cow sounds useful

[Stephen Whiteside]

Looks very yummy, Maureen.