The Man in Armour

She wasn’t even a teenager when she first saw him at her school picnic. Dressed in the armour of a soldier, he emerged from the mist shrouding the mountains that were almost touching the clouds. In his early twenties, the man had a very kind face. As he helped her find her way back to her classmates, she asked him, “Are you an angel?” her eyes sparkling with wonder.

“I am whatever you believe I am,” he replied, his smile holding the warmth of the universe.
 “When will I see you again?” she asked softly, just as he turned to leave.
 “Whenever you need me,” he said, and gave her a gentle wink before disappearing into the mist.

He came to her rescue again when her mother was late picking her up from school. Hours past the final bell, she cried her heart out. She felt abandoned as all her friends had left with their parents. While she was walking home through the woods, he took her hand. He guided her safely to her house, moments before her mother arrived, frantic with worry.

She saw him smiling in the audience when her palms were sweaty, and her legs trembled before her first speech. He gave her a thumbs-up, and the air seemed to rush into her lungs again. She then spoke for a few minutes, earning a huge round of applause.

The next time, she noticed him standing in the garden outside her bedroom window. Her parents were having a fierce squabble in the living room. He never lost eye contact with her the whole time, and she felt a sense of comfort even in the chaotic situation.

His presence always had a mollifying effect on her. Years went by, life unfolded – she grew up, made new friends, and stayed busy with countless activities. She had nearly forgotten him until she saw a little boy reading a picture book in a cafe while his young mother was busy chatting on her phone. On the cover of the book was the man in armour.

She remembered seeing the book in her school library as a child and everything came rushing back. Her mystery man, her lifesaver, her first male friend—he was just a figment of her imagination. A beautiful illusion that she had created to navigate the hardships of her childhood. But now, at 29, she no longer needed a man in armour. The confidence and experience she had gained over the years had become her shield of protection. She was her own saviour and had a tribe: her 4 am friends. She finished her coffee and made her way to the office, ready to rock her first business presentation.

Mitra Samal

Mitra Samal is a Poet, Writer and IT Consultant with a passion for both Technology and
Literature. Her works have been published in Poetry Society (India), Muse India, Borderless Journal, Madras Courier, Kitaab, The Hooghly Review, and The Punch Magazine among others. She is also an avid reader and a Toastmaster.

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