The girl sat on the side of the mountain naked and out of breath. It seemed like she had been running for hours as she made her way through the broken limbs and wooded trees to seek sanctuary. At one point she thought they were going to catch her, but she managed to hide within the safety of a log as they desperately searched for her whereabouts.
Their voices kept calling out to her; choking on the dense forest until all sounds were but a whisper carried by the wind. “Genevieve” The trees seemed to speak her name, she stared blankly into the darkness afraid and naïve.
“Genevieve,” the woods called to her again, blowing ever so gently allowing the leaves to rustle up their own fall song as they brilliantly changed color and fell to the ground. She watched in amazement as the colors of fall raked into a pile forming a giant mountain of leaves before her. “Jump.” Again she heard the faint whisper.
She obeyed streaking across the moss covered ground until she had immersed herself within Fall’s awaiting arms. She hit the leaves hard sending them flying into the air; like a kaleidoscope they swirled around her shimmering and swaying until all she could see was a jumbled mess of red, orange and yellow. Blinded she held up her arms protecting herself from the vigorous scraping the leaves made against her skin as they seemed to be attacking her. “What is happening?” She screamed her voice echoing against the mountain’s surface as she fought to stay on her feet. A strong gust of wind rushed at her, she fell to the ground and laid there defeated. She could no longer fight against the will of nature, closing her eyes she desperately hoped for someone to save her.
“Mother?” The girl looked up to find a small boy standing before her. His body was painted a lively green, with large leaves from a sycamore tree covering his genitals forming a make shift kilt around his torso. He had the branches of a willow tree extending from his wrists and ankles; they looked like broken chains as if he had just freed himself from Mother Earth’s hold on him. She had heard there were children living in this forest, but it was the first time every meeting one face to face. She studied him admiring his amazing resemblance to spring’s birth in early April. His face was glittered with the colors of the forest; a large streak of brown cascaded up through his neck and across the bridge of his eyes like a budding branch stretching towards the sun. Small sprigs of lavender, and baby’s breath caressed along the top of his head and around the hairline forming a small crown of fresh flowers, fit only for a child of the forest. The boy stared at her strangely, as if he was waiting for her to speak. His eyes were shaded the color of the sky a vivid blue you only see on the most perfect of days. She had seen his eyes many times before, they were familiar.
She rose to her feet and was surprised to no longer be naked. She was gifted a dress of fall’s love. His leaves had leeched to her skin caressing across her breasts and draping to her feet like an over-the-top cotillion dress. The warm autumn colors tinted her skin leaving her once pale features now toned and colored tan from the sun. She ran her fingers through her hair expecting it to tangle within the ordinary straightness it usually had; amazed she found it to be curled and wild like a strong breath of wind. She held up her arms awed by the accessories Fall had given her. Elegant sunflowers draped from her neck and curved down her arms curling around her wrists renovating her with a fresh autumn scent and gifting her with their beauty.
“Why are you here?” She questioned the boy. He stood their puzzled, as if she was supposed to know who he was and why he was there already.
“I am looking for my mother.” He reached for her hand and with reluctance she took it his touch was soft and tender, even though his skin looked rough and wrinkled like the bark of an ancient tree.
“What is your name boy?” She asked him as he led her through the forest.
“I have yet to be named.” His voice hung heavy, like a lost puppy howling for help. He did not look back as he guided her on their journey.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Conception.” His voice quivered. She stopped and bent to his level staring him deep into the pools of blue that formed around his iris. His tears were her tears and she could feel them begin to weep.
“Why would you take me there?” The boy shrugged and continued to walk pulling her behind him. As he walked the colors of autumn wilted to the ground, birthing the vibrant colors of spring in its place. He stopped in front of a small daisy and gently plucked it from the ground; he tugged at her hand and brought her to her knees.
“For you my mother.” He placed the daisy in her hair just above her ear.
“Why do you keep calling me that?” Again he answered with a shrug.
“Just ahead lays Conception.” He pushed through a thicket of brush and entered his wonderland. The waterfall greeted her as she entered. She had been there before.
“Boy why did you bring me here?” He skipped to the water’s edge and playfully laughed.
“Do you accept me now?”
“I don’t know what you mean, what am I to accept?” He frowned and kicked a rock into the pool causing an enormous wave to break from the edges and crash to the other side. His anger was affecting the water, as he cried the pool grew in sorrow nipping at her ankles for answers.
“If you do not choose me I must go.” He looked at her in terror, staring down the deep blue sea now eating away the enchanted colors of spring around him.
“I do not know what you want from me.” She cried.
“He does not want me . . . you do not want me . . . I am broken.” The boy sat on the sand and cried into his arms. His tears soaked into his skin and blossomed daisies, forming an army of freshly grown goose bumps along his forearms.
“I am just a child.” She screamed.
A shadow emerged from the forest, not even the sun could bring life to the gloomy face encompassed in darkness. He stood a few feet from the boy silent and blank.
“See he has already chosen. Will you reject me as well?” The boy’s tears broke her heart, she wanted to comfort him.
The shadow stood awkwardly and watched them both attentively. He was like everything else in this place . . . familiar. She studied the shadow, she knew he had the answers of what was happening to her but there was no way to read the black mass of nothing that consumed his face. As he stepped towards her, clusters of ash would form from his footsteps. She knew that if she went with him that would be the end to the boy’s life.
The leaves wilted off her leaving her skin bare and cold. She attempted to cover herself but her arms were frozen to her sides.
“Genevieve.” The shadow whispered. “Keep our secret.”
She shivered with fear as he crept closer to her; his blackened hand reaching out and coating the ground with ash in each movement. The boy stood still his arms still reaching for her as well. She was so young and naïve. Why did she have to make such a choice now? Why was she being punished for playing with the magic she desired?
“Choose.” The both said in unison.
“It was a mistake!” She cried. She backed away from them; the pools cold water creeping up her skin as she waded deeper to its center.
“Don’t go Mother.” The boy cried.
“Keep our secret.” The shadow whispered.
She treaded the water as long as she could before finally giving herself over to the pool. It swirled around and pulled her downward slowly killing off her breath and stealing the last of her heart beats that struggled to survive. She sunk to the bottom, staring blankly at the waves of consequence that lapped above her. She had chosen nothing.
I sat straight up in bed out of breath and drenched in my own sweat. Disoriented I focused on the darkness of my room. Was it only a dream? The images felt so real but whimsical at the same time. Nothing like that could ever happen, except in a dream world. Why would I even dream something so crazy? It was like I was watching a tripped up movie that someone only thought of because they were choking down acid. What did it all mean anyways? I sat in silence obsessing over the vivid images I just had. In my heart I knew I was trying to tell myself something. But what was it? Was the dream supposed to be a warning? Or worse was it supposed to be an omen? In any aspect the dream scared the every loving crap out of me, and left my heart heavy and my mind lost. I could only draw one conclusion from it . . . last night I made a huge mistake!
WHAT'S FOR DINNER: Fried Chicken, Macaroni Salad and Beans
SONG OF THE DAY:
Dream On - Aerosmith
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