Early Morning

Darkness was all around as it was still the early morning and not yet lit.

He couldn’t see where the words were coming from, yet the voice sounded cordial enough.

“What would you have Francesco, if you could have anything?” was asked, deeply, with consideration. It seemed to be coming from the lion above from where he sat.

Perhaps this was an invitation to pray out loud, Francis bethought. I will oblige -

“Here then”, he began -

“Merciful benefactor,
Lord of Lords,
Creation’s gate
Today I pray
I pray this day
this day of days
this prayer of prayers:
for Wisdom’s light: to bespoke our minds
for Grace’s charity: to provoke our cares
for Heaven’s bounty: to sustain our souls
for Godly Reason: to make calm our selves."

He stopped here, for there was a great cracking noise above and Francis moved quickly, instinctively rising to his feet, in case any of the stone were to fall.

It was the lion - the great stone lion from up above — whose hardened shell had taken on a living form, and with a heavy thud, sprang all the way down, and there stood right before him, staring at Francis in the half-light of the new morning.


- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances