I awoke and found myself in the living room of the Gallia County Farmhouse. Perhaps 10-15 people were milling about in the kitchen and living room. I was disconcerted at first and I couldn't remember what I was doing here. Gradually, however, it began to come back to me.

I recalled that I was the leader of the people here (actually I was their king) and that many more of my subjects were outside. The previous day we had been involved in a battle with people who looked like Trojan soldiers and whom I indeed called Trojans. The Trojans had attacked us at the Farmhouse and our forces had been able to repel them. We were expecting another attack today.

I wondered what time it was and how long I had slept. I had the impression it was rather late and I was concerned I might have missed something. Sitting up and looking out the large picture window in the front of the Farmhouse, I was astounded by what I saw: in the large bottom field at the foot of the hill in front of Symmes Creek stood a large arc which very much reminded me of the Arc of Triumph in Paris, except it was much larger.

The Arc towered for probably 100 meters into the air. I had never seen an arc so tall. It was made of large, dark-brown stones and had images carved all over its face. How could the Trojans possibly have built such a thing overnight? And why? It didn't seem to serve any defensive purpose. It just stood there in the field. But it certainly did give one pause to wonder at the ingenuity of the Trojans. I thought it might awe my subjects into fearing the Trojans more. But I thought I would probably be able to encourage my people by pointing out that now at least when we had defeated the Trojans we would capture the Arc and have something to show for our struggles.

I could discern many Trojans walking around in the field. And closer to the house along the fence line Trojans were busily building a stone fence which also was made of brown stone and was already as high as a man's chest. The Trojans were obviously fortifying their position and that gave me cause for some concern.

I finally stood and began walking around the house. I still felt very disoriented and although I knew I was the king, I was uncertain what my next move should be. I walked into the kitchen and two prisoners were brought in. I recognized one of them as Brian, but we didn't acknowledge we knew each other. I had earlier decided the prisoners were to be executed, but I hadn't yet told them. The prisoners stood up before me and I explained they were to be executed at 6 o'clock today. Ordering the execution was extremely unpleasant for me and made me feel bad. Plus it was only about 15 more minutes until 6 o'clock and I disliked having to give the prisoners so little notice of their death. A clock on the wall said it was already 7 o'clock, but I explained that the clock was wrong and I told them the correct time.

Brian immediately became very animated. He didn't contest the decree of execution in any way, but he seemed to want to hurry and take care of some last minute affairs before he was executed. He paced back and forth across the kitchen floor a few times and them exited through the kitchen door. The other prisoner followed.

I walked back into the living room where I was presented two women whom I had likewise ordered to be executed. The women (probably in their late 50s) appeared thin and perhaps a bit frail. One was wearing a pink dress. They were likewise told of their impending execution and quietly accepted it.

I walked away from them more downcast than ever. I didn't want to have them executed. But the order had been given. I wondered if it would be interpreted as weakness if I were to rescind my own order and I tried to think of some precedent where a king had done such a thing.

Three men were crouched down inside the room near the front door. They definitely reminded me of Kurds from Kurdistan. They were dressed in their typical Kurdish outfits while I was wearing a simple shirt and blue jeans. I knelt down to speak with them. I felt that even though I was the king, I still needed to speak personally with people who came to see me like that. I spoke with them in another language, perhaps German, and asked them what they wanted. We stood up and they informed me they were relatives of the two women who were to be executed. They had come to take care of arrangements for the women after the execution. I let them talk to the women and I walked away.

Who would perform the execution? And how would it be done? I thought it would probably be done by simply using a hand gun and shooting the people in the back of the head. But that seemed very bloody, especially in the case of the women and especially if their relatives were going to have some kind of funeral for them. It would be a messy affair if half their heads were blown off. Perhaps some kind of sleeping pills would be better. It seemed to me that some sleeping pills were somewhere in the Farmhouse and I might give the condemned people a choice of being shot or taking the pills. Then of course there was always the possibility I would cancel the execution.

But I didn't want to pull the trigger myself. Perhaps I could find one of my subjects who could do it. I would still make very clear to all that it was I who had ordered the execution and that even if I didn't actually pull the trigger I was the one responsible. But who could I get to pull the trigger?

With that question in mind, I walked out onto the front porch and realized not many of my subjects seemed to be left. I wasn't sure what had happened to them. But I did know one thing – I needed some advice as to how to proceed with the war. But I didn't know who my ministers were. Indeed I was unsure I even had ministers. Finally I decided I needed to find a boy to run through the men and announce that the king wanted to meet with his ministers. I asked for a boy and one showed up. I explained to him that it was important for him to dash about shouting "Ministers." He should explain to the ministers who responded that they should immediately come to the front of the house for a council with the king.

I sent the boy off and I hoped the plan worked. I didn't know who my ministers were but I hoped someone at least would respond to the call. I desperately needed to confer with someone about the status of affairs and develop a plan of action.

I was concerned that indeed the situation might already be hopeless. If that was the case it might be best to send all my subjects away and simply await the inevitable alone. In that case I would probably simply go to the top floor of the house and await the attack. The house would probably be burnt and I would die in the conflagration.

But until I was sure it was hopeless, I intended to continue trying to fulfill my function as king. And at the moment that seemed to mean trying to establish some order in the seeming chaos about me. I walked back through the house and onto the back porch. There I was surprised to find a large group of soldiers. But although they were friendly soldiers they weren't part of my group. They were all dressed in blue uniforms and had yellow scarves. They were Union soldiers fighting for the North in the United States Civil War. I didn't mind their using the area for their needs, but I realized -- just as they couldn't demand my support in their battle -- I wouldn't be able to ask them to assist me in mine. Still I felt somewhat comforted just seeing them here.

I walked back through the house again and to the front porch. I now seemed dressed in a long white robe and I had very long hair. I also seemed to have gained some weight. I felt older and more kingly. It was time to meet with my people and discuss with them the plans for dealing with the enemy. Actually the plans weren't formulated yet in my mind, but I knew it was time to meet my subjects.

There was one point I knew I wanted to make. And that was that in the present war we weren't the aggressors. We were the ones being attacked by the Trojans. Indeed we had tried to escape from the Trojans and had only recently come to where we were. But the Trojans had followed us and they were the ones attacking us. I thought it was very important that that point was made clear.

I was surprised by what I found in the front yard. The entire area was thronged with people. It appeared I had far more support than I had thought. Indeed there was practically no room for me to come out onto the porch and people had to be pushed back. The yard was completely filled and I hoped no one would be pushed over the cement wall in front of the yard.

I wanted to speak to the throng and I began trying to do so. But the din was very loud and it suddenly became clear to me that I had lost my voice and I couldn't speak above a whisper. With what little voice I had I began crying, "Orator. Orator." I wanted to find someone to whom I could whisper and who could repeat my words to the crowd. A woman volunteered, but I needed someone with a strong, male voice.

Finally a tall fellow dressed in a suit stood out from the crowd and I grabbed him. He bent his head down, I whispered a sentence to him and he repeated it to the silenced crowd. But a cry immediately went up from the rear of the crowd where the man's weak voice couldn't be heard. I discharged him and again began walking through the crowd pitifully whispering, "Orator."

Suddenly I saw Proctor (a former fellow law student) standing in front of me. He was very neat-looking. His black hair was cut short and he was dressed in a nice-looking suit and tie. I remembered him as being an impressive person and I immediately decided he might be a good voice for me now. He was only slightly taller than I. He came close to me and I explained what I wanted. The crowd quieted down and I whispered to Proctor, "Thank you my people for gathering here today."

Proctor repeated in a loud voice, "Thank you my people for gathering here today."

The crowd remained quiet and Proctor was obviously able to be heard. I didn't know yet what I was going to say, but I began to feel words coming to life within me. I continued, "I am pleased by the number present."

Proctor repeated, "I am pleased by the number present."

As I continued, my voice also seemed to become stronger. I seemed to have the attention of the people and I knew they were anxious to hear me. I continued, "Which shows the continuing interest in our cause."

Proctor repeated, "Which shows the continuing interest in our cause."

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