FIVE SECONDS OF DUTY

The First Lieutenant couldn’t believe it!

There it was, right before them, than gigantic portion of food, dropped by the gods, enough to feed the community for days! All they had to do was rush forth, claim it, and make it theirs.

But the General insisted they wait.

“Why? Why? Why?” Screamed the First Lieutenant. “Why must we wait while our women and children starve? Let us capture the food before it returns!”

The General looked at him impassively, and said “It is the will of the Gods, and our tradition, that we wait before we eat. It is what separates us from other beasts.”

“And it is what will kill us!” screamed the Lieutenant. “This is madness! It always was.”

The General looked towards the High Priest, who was closely watching the time, and who would decree how long it was that they must wait. The Priest blew on a small horn once, indicating that a fifth of the required time had elapsed.

“I cannot waste more time with this foolery!” Said the Lieutenant, donning his helmet.

“Don’t you move!” roared the General. “If you so much as take one step forth, I will have you court martialled and whipped for insubordination!” the Lieutenant stepped back. Another blast on the horn indicated that two fifths of the stipulated time had passed.

It’s right there, all that food, waiting to be conquered, thought the Lieutenant. The entire colony can feast for at least a week. Only three fifths more, and they could move forward, lay claim, and begin the feast.

Once more the blast of the horn, only two fifths left. The Lieutenant lifted his axe, and readied himself for a charge. The General looked forward with tantalizing eyes, the other soldiers shuffled in anticipation.

But just then, the lights in the sky dimmed, and something seemed to block the sun out. The soldiers began to step back in fear, and the Lieutenant’s eyes widened – his worst fears had come true. The horn blasted again, indicating that four fifths of the time had elapsed, but it was too late and all was lost.

Two mighty pillars descended from the sky, caught the food between them, and hoisted it back to the sky from where it had come. The Gods had reclaimed what the races of the land had rejected. The Lieutenant fell on his knees, his mind spinning, thinking of what had just happened – this opportunity lost, no food once more, only the hunger, the starvation, the desperation once more. With accusing eyes he looked at his General.

“I know what you are thinking,” said the General, “that we could have had claimed that, made it ours, and eaten our fill. But our traditions do not allow for it, and as long as I am on watch, I will not let our traditions be insulted. It is the only thing we have that separates us from uncivilized beasts, and if hunger is that small price to pay in order to ensure our superiority, then I will pay it, and I will ensure the colony pays it too.” And with that, he turned and left, leaving the Lieutenant on his knees in the dust, grim tears beginning to flow down his face.

*

Modern Culture insists that germs follow the five second rule. Really now.