The journey

THUNDER

Thunder and lightning fill the air. I can feel and taste the electricity. It's funny. I feel like I should be used to this by now so many places my search has taken me have been like this but for some reason I feel different. Perhaps it's the bluish green light coming from the two moons as I ponder this question but I see a flash in the corner of my eye. I barely see it before it disappears into the small circular hole in a tree. Now that's something new I think to myself as I approach the tree slowly. As I get closer a strange calm comes over me I feel at peace for some reason, a feeling I haven't felt in quite some time. I see a faint glow coming from the small hole in the tree. Slowly I lean my eye to the hole looking inside where it was staring right back at me. Inside was what I can only describe as the most beautiful fairy I've ever seen, well the only one I've ever seen. She was smiling back at me, a bluish green light emanating from her body. Her smile warmed everything inside me; she winked at me as she zipped by leaving me in complete awe. I smiled as she stopped and waved for me to follow. I did my best to keep up with the little beauty as she flew through a meadow of flowers, a trail of fireflies showing me the way she went. I followed the glowing bugs over the crest of a hill and saw her floating over a rock as tall as me, arms crossed looking at me. Expecting her to fly away I slowly approached her but she just smiled as I got closer. When I was close enough she drifted down taking my hand in both of hers and something came over me, something I hadn't felt in a long time I was actually happy. She led me through the meadow to a colorful swirling pool of water. She gently let my hand slip away as she hovered over the vortex. Smiling, she motioned for me to follow then flew into the vortex. I stepped forward slipping into the colorful swirling water I lost all feeling and thought for a moment time and space stood still. On the other side I was floating in the middle of a lake and looking around it was beautiful stars lit the night sky star light reflected off the dark water. I wondered where the little fairy was only for her to rise from the water no longer little. She still had her beautiful glow as beads of water ran from her hair down her beautiful flawless face. Her smile made her eyes melt and left me immobilized then I felt her hand on my cheek followed by the feel of her soft lips on mine. At that moment everything stopped and I wondered if I had finally found what i'm searching for.

SPACE

Is it cold or warm I wonder but it doesn't really matter. As I float through what seems like an endless ocean of darkness there is no sound or light. I'm surrounded only by my thoughts in one way this is helpful for self introspection but is mostly torture for myself. I can't help but think about all the things I should have done differently but even on this journey of mine with all the unique things I've come across I've yet to find something that could take me back or change the past. As I'm thinking this I hear a giggle. Was it a giggle it really couldn't have been right? Just then I feel a slight touch on my shoulder. I quickly roll around only to see her the same person who has taken so many forms on this journey. She has a purplish glow to her this time she smiles her perfect smile and giggles that's new I think. She takes my left hand gently looking deeply into my eyes. Her gaze burns through me as she leans forward her lips touching mine. In that moment nothing else matters, time stands still. As we kiss everything is perfect and somehow in that moment I knew that one day everything would be ok. She slowly pulls away from me grinning and all I can do is look at her in awe. As my hand falls away from her she slowly floats backwards. Giggling she winks and waves for me to follow her. I just laugh inside my head and follow her. I can't help but wonder where she is leading me. Maybe she knows what I'm searching for and what I thought couldn't be found.

Kiss

I can't help but think of her beauty as I try to follow her through this dense forest. I see her beautiful face dart between the trees as she runs ahead of me leaving a trail of what seems like fireflies for me to follow. Her giggles fill the air and it warms my insides. The forest is quiet. I can only hear what she wants me to, only her giggles and a few footsteps can be heard. I just want to feel her hand on mine to have her close to me. As I follow her I am amazed by her gentle beauty. I'm compelled to follow her because she could be the key to my happiness. I reach the edge of the forest and walk into a meadow where the sweet scent of beautiful flowers and fireflies fill the air. There she was in the middle of a ring of flowers sitting on a tree stump just looking at me with her head cocked to the side. As I got closer a smile came across her face, her eyes locked on mine freezing me in place. She hopped up from the stump swaying her body in an almost hypnotic way as she walked. Approaching me she took my right hand placing it on her cheek and took my left hand into hers. I gently push a strand of her glowing red hair away from her face, her green eyes pierce my soul. The grin fades away from her face as a more serious look comes over her. She leans forward, her lips touch mine, she pulls me closer, her arms wrapping around me. Her kiss makes me feel complete. I want this moment to last forever, maybe she is what I am looking for. I want this moment to last forever.

HELL

What in the actual hell I think as I look around this place. Somehow I have wondered into what seems like hell everything is charred or glowing red hot and I can only smell what can be best described as sulfur. I have lost her somehow it's been sometime since my last glimpse of her but I know this is the way she went. All I can do is keep moving forward through this hellscape. This place genuinely scares me unlike any other I have seen so far. I'm worried about my fairy guide. Why did she lead me here just to vanish? I can feel something watching and I know it isn't her. I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen. The heat is starting to get to me. I'm fighting the urge to pass out the path I'm following comes to a large cave entrance. The heat emitting from it feels like it could melt my skin. I really do not want to go inside but something inside me knows she's down there and needs me. I hide my fear and step inside following the winding path down. The heat is making me feel faint but I carry on the end of the tunnel in sight. Stepping out of the tunnel I'm in awe as I look around this vast coliseum like opening. Giant black rocks and boulders litter the floor what I can only describe as magma drips down the walls adding to the immense heat this really must be hell I think to myself. I'm so dumbstruck by this place I somehow missed her at first. She is huddled in a corner facing the wall and something isn't right. As I approach her she's shaking, something has scared her and I soon find out why as I'm lifted off my feet and thrown across the room. I hit the floor hard feeling physical pain for the first time in a long time. Scrambling to my feet I turn to see it staring at me. My brain can barely comprehend what I'm seeing. It looks like a mix between a man,snake and wolf; the huge black scales covering its body look like a suit of armor; huge curved claws protrude from its wolf like hands and feet, its snake like tail swaying back and forth behind it. Its red glowing eyes shrink as it smiles revealing a mouth full of fangs and snake like tongue. Apparently it is a he his deep reptilian voice booms in my ears. “ I have been watching you for quite some time now and you have foolishly followed her hoping to find some kind of happiness only to be let down, quit wasting your time and just give up now”. “Now why would I do that?” I say trying my best not to sound terrified. He sniffs the air and grins wider saying “ I can give you what you want what you used to have what you lost”. At that moment I can see them and I feel like all I have to do is just give in and I can have another chance. I feel myself starting to walk towards them. I can do things right this time. I won't lose them this time but suddenly I snap back into reality as I look over and see my guide wide eyed from terror. I know this isn't real, it's just my demons playing tricks on me. I stop and face him to say “you can't give me that back no one can but she can give me something new” He just laughs “you were a failure then and you're a failure now you can't beat me you didn't then and you can't now”. “I'm damn sure going to try” I say as I punch him as hard as I can only for him to laugh before slashing my face and chest and throwing me into the wall. I'm certain that just broke some ribs I cant breath. He stands over me laughing “You'll always lose you can't break free from me”. All I can think is he's right I can't get away, it's all over. Suddenly I see her and I'm blinded by a flash of light. All I can hear is him screaming by the time I can see she is lifting me off the ground. She looks so beautiful even as tears roll down her face. She touches my chest and kisses me somehow healing all my wounds. I look deep into her eyes and she frowns and in that moment I know she can't give back what I've lost. She smiles and it gives me the hope that I might find something better as she leads me away from this hell.

Gladiator

The roar of the crowd was barely noticeable to the lone gladiator as he sat in the shadows, the only source of light coming from the torches that littered the wall. He sat quietly taking comfort in the sound of his whetstone sliding across the steel of the gladius he had used so many times before. Concentrating on the sound he can only think of one thing. Today is the day I am supposed to die. He is not worried or afraid to die after looking death in the face so many times one can only embrace their own mortality. The crowd roars then goes silent, the gladiator stands knowing his time has come the fight before his was over. One of the handlers tells him it's time. His breathes are long and controlled as he walks up the tunnel ramp the other gladiators lining the sides cheering him on after all he has been here longer than all of them and has faced or trained with many of them but what they don't know is today is the day I die he thinks as he passes them. The light reflected off the white hot sand as he breached the archway. The crowd roared to life as the lone warrior entered. The only thought the warrior had was today is a good day to die. The crowd cheers and roars as he makes his way to the center of the arena. After all, it's him they are here to see but what they don't know is their hero will fall today. He looked at the crowd and the face he had hoped to see wasn't there but it hadn't been in a long time. He had hope to see her one last time before the end but he knew she couldn't stand to see him like this. Laughing to himself he turned back to the task at hand arriving at the center of the arena he stops and stands tall. The opposing gates open and three well armored gladiators step through and the crowd explodes as they approach him. His mind is still able but the years of fighting have finally caught up and his body cannot withstand the oncoming assault. The crowd grew deathly silent as the three gladiators encircled the lone fighter. The horn sounds he strikes quickly catching the gladiator to his left off guard the crowd roared as the steel of his gladius cut deeply into his leg to the bone immobilizing him. He quickly put distance between himself and the wounded fighter hoping to separate the other two but they were smart and advanced together. With the heat bearing down on him he could already feel his legs burning and knew he couldn't last long. He strikes his sword clashing with theirs. His strength is fading already; he slashes one across the chest only to be hit near his shoulder; he does not scream but the burning of steel in his arm does not go unnoticed. In a flash he lunges forward piercing the shoulder of the one whose chest he slashed causing him to scream and drop his sword making the crowd go crazy. Quickly turning to strike the one who is left he is greeted by the burning sting of steel in his chest. A collective gasp followed by silence came from the crowd as the lone warrior fell to his knees. Already feeling the warm blood fill his lungs his attacker pulled his sword from his chest in one quick motion causing him to fall to his back as the stunned crowd looked on. Suddenly everything stopped and standing above him is the shadowy figure from his dreams and he knows death has come for him. In a gentle voice the figure asks his name. I have no name, replies the man. where is your home? asks the figure. this is my home, replied the gladiator. Extending its arm the figure pulled the man with no name to his feet and removed its hood revealing her face. Stunned the man looked into the eyes of the one who had been his guide so long ago and said I thought you left me a long time ago? Smiling, she looked at him and said I could never truly leave you. I have watched over you since you came to this world and had no plans on abandoning you after all you chose to stay here and fight. She points to the tunnel saying your battle is over, it's time to go home. As they walk away from the man's fallen body he sees them standing in the arch of the tunnel. He looks to figure only to see her smile and say this is what you fought so long for so go home. He looks back seeing her beautiful face and smiles only to hear a small voice say come on daddy let's go home and with that the man with no name smiled for the first time in a long time and knew he could finally go home.