by Gail Manfre
A weary and bone tired El Zorro crept back into
The dark and dank cave, where he rested an
Equally exhausted Tornado who pawed at the
Ground restlessly. His horse felt the same way that
El Zorro did tonight. They failed on their mission to
Rescue some poor hapless peons from being flogged
And sold into slavery because they could not pay
Capitan
Monasterio’s exorbitant taxes!
El Zorro felt the eyes of
of the other peons boring into his back as he had to
retreat.
Finally Capitan Monasterio had bested him!“
2
He told the entire said story to the one sympathetic ear
That he had in the entire world, Bernardo his mozo.
However,
Bernardo, shook his head when Diego protested that
“He could not have done anything else to save them all
El Zorro, cannot be everywhere at once, try as he might.
Bernardo, please believe me that deep in my soul, I felt
The lashes as just as the peons did. What was I to do,
what could I do? The Peons will believe that they have
lost my trust forever!”
3
“Capitan Monasterio certainly was lying in wait for me tonight. Who could possibly warned him? Only you and I knew about the transportation time of the prisoners!"
His mute servant nodded his head in agreement. Then he
Pantomimed a new thought: "what if Monasterio had one of his own Men concealed within the prisoners?"
“You know Bernardo, I never considered that possibility! Perhaps, like El Zorro, The Comandante has paid some men for him to be spies!"
4
The next night, the moon was only half full and Zorro,
for some reason, felt nervous about this Mission.
Something
in the back of his mind had been nagging him for almost a week.
He had been having a dream that he heard a large group of people crying for help, but he had been unable to see or locate them.
Now he felt as helpless as he did on the night he tried to
Free the peons’ from the chain gang.
As he wrote Tornado Towards Los Angeles, he felt something off was about to begin.
5
When he reached the top of the last hill leading to the main road
To Los Angeles, he saw a wave of mist rise and envelop him.
So thick it was he was barely to see himself seated on Tornado.
“Santa Maria,” he exclaimed. “What in the name of heaven has
Happened to the road?"
Tornado also felt his master’s unease.
El Zorro looked around and realized he no longer knew where he
Was. Now he was completely surrounded by the Fog.
However,
He heard explosions, and people screaming all around him.
6
At last, the mist began to clear and he found himself in the middle of
A large city, completely foreign to him. By all of the Saints, I
Am completely lost!
He looked up and saw two airplanes striking The tall buildings leaning overhead him.
“Por Dios!” All of those people are going to die!.
He watched in horror as people jumped from the burning buildings. Then he saw still hundreds of people running from the collapsing buildings.
Tornado, what can we do to help them? We must do something! But a calm, pleasant voice entered His Mind.
7
"My Son, there is nothing you can do to relieve their suffering.
I have shown you these things which will occur in the future, in the year 001. Just this you could do nothing to help every single peon on
The chain gang, this is the same situation you, like the others whom
You see here, were called by me to their homes in heaven. Believe me when I tell you that you cannot save everyone. You are
An unusual human, and the greatest thing you that you truly fear is The fact that you cannot save everyone you hold dear.
8
The soft and melodious voice continued to speak to him, "My Son,
You have done so well in your role as the Fox, El Zorro. I cannot ask
Anything more from you then what you have already given to your people. Return now to your time and remember that you are only human, and can only do so much to eliminate poverty, pain and suffering. It is My Will that you continue to ride as El Zorro and you Are to do your very best for you have been given a special task."
9
"You have been designated as a hero for your people who are
Oppressed by the Evil Monasterio. It is your sacred duty to
Destroy his plans wherever and whenever you can. You will not win
Every fight, every battle, every skirmish. However, you will
You will confound and harass Monasterio to the best of your
Ability. I am extremely proud of you Mind Son, for You are
a very special soul whom I have created to fight evil wherever
You may find it. I only ask you do the best you can do."
10
El Zorro dismounted from Tornado and knelt down to pray
"Oh, my heavenly Father, I beg your forgiveness in believing
That I was invincible and I lost sight of your guidance in my work.
In the future I humbly ask for your help so that I may aid my people
The best way that I can. I am indeed human, and I know now
The limitations of my abilities. I shall not get discouraged as
easily as I did before, and I shall trust in your judgment as always.
‘it was pride, deceivingly me into believing I was indestructible.”
Capitan Monasterio can look forward to a renewed El Zorro,
A Fox more confident in his faith that good will triumph over evil.
He looked up again at the night sky and at his partner Bernardo,
and they both saw that the moon was full.
"Time to ride my friend!"
Bernardo smiled quietly as he always did when waiting for his master.
He used his hands to say: "never fear my friend I shall always be by your side.” They rode to find the capitan's latest victims.
When they came upon a relatively unguarded chain-gang, the
Peons all yelled, “Look El Zorro has come to rescue us.
And rescue them he did.
