Untitled Story

         The forest was lovely.  The sun was peeking over the top of the canopy.  The early morning dew glisten in the new born sun.  I looked up at the sky.  The dense foliage blocked my view.  I thought to myself “What a gorgeous day. This is a good day.”  I continued my walk thought the forest.  The birds were singing.  I could hear things running for cover in the under brush.  I picked up my pace.  I began to run.  I could tell this was going to be a wonderful day.  I was at a full sprint when I saw her. She was crouched next to a tree, like she was looking at something.  I came to a dead stop and stared.  She was beautiful. Words could not do her justice.  I continued to stare.  She began to look around quickly, like she was startled.  I just stood there as her head jerked in my direction.  She stared at my for half a second and darted off away from me.  I gave chase.  My heart was pounding.  I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew I had to catch her.  She moved like water, flowing over rocks and branches.  I ran faster, because she was getting farther ahead.  I was running faster than I had ever ran before, but I didn't feel winded or tired.  I could have chased her for five minutes or five days, it didn't matter. I knew I didn't need to stop.

         The joy of the chase, that was what sustained me.  I was going to catch her, but that did not matter.  I was content to continue following her.  Watching how her legs, her perfect legs,  ever so lightly touched the ground, gave me enough energy to run a thousand marathons.  I could not help but follow her beauty. She continued to get away for me.  Every foot she gained felt like a mile.  I pushed myself harder.  I had to catch up to her. 

         I was beginning to lose site of her.  For an eternity I would not see her, then like a ray of sun through the clouds, I would catch a glimpse of her.  My sagging heart would be energized, and new life would surge to my limbs.  Those glimpses became fewer and fewer.  Finally I lost her.  All that I was left with was questions.  Who was she? What was she looking at? Why did she run? What was she afraid of?

         With those questions swimming around in my head, I made my way home.  Who was she?  That question was on top of the pile.  I had to find her.  Tomorrow, I would go back to the same spot in the forest, and wait.  Maybe she would come again.  I could only hope.

         I had a fitful sleep that night.  I dreamed about her.  She would run in slow motion, but no matter how fast I ran, I could not catch her.  I could see eyes peering out of the shadows among the trees, lovingly accusing me.  Sweet voices in the wind gently mocked me.  As the dream progressed,  I begin to feel a presence at my back.  A thinly disguised malevolence.  It hungered for my like I hungered for the woman.  The exhilaration that I felt at the beginning was replaced with fear.  First it was the fear of losing her, but that was overtaken by the fear of what was behind me.  I could not tell you what it looked like, only that its appearance did not match its true self.  Suddenly the forest gave way to a wasteland.  The land was covered in ass, and soaked in blood.  The remains of the dead silently screamed in agony.  Smoked filled the horizon.  The sweet voices became cruel.  The shadow that had been following me grew.  Slowly and surely it swallowed up the sky, then the ground, till i was surrounded by blackness.  During this, the voices grew in volume, until it was like thunder.  I screamed.  I could feel the blackness closing in around me, slowly squeezing the life out of me.  In desperation I shouted “Help me!”  Out of no where a hand appeared.  I grabbed it, pulling with all my might.  That's when I woke up.

It was another bright and sunny day, in direct contrast to last nights dream.  It was as if the world new what had happened and was trying to lighten my mood.  To some extend it worked.  I went outside the house and took in a deep breath of fresh air.  The scent of the morning dew washed away a lot of the ash and blood the still clung to my soul, but some still lingered.  Try as I might, I couldn't shake the dream.  It was so vivid.  Even now I could here the voices in the background, softly heckling me.  I had to find that woman.  I did not know why, but  she was important.

After a quick breakfast, I headed back into the forest to look for any sign of her.