Sights Unseen

A light in the night

A good or an evil

Filled with hope

Or something of sorrow?

Of folklore or fables, telling tales of lights and victims. Some tell of a light saving stranded victims of the dark, while others tell of the light making victims of man, by guiding them into the dark. Hundreds of stories, some dating back more than two centuries; they share a common theme in plain – a light within the dark. However, the origin from which the story came – begets the end, and the victims fate. Two endings; one telling you to trust the light and the second telling you to avoid it. Which would you choose?

Would you trust the light?

Or would you trust the dark?

If you aren’t quite sure, maybe you will see and make up your mind, where one borders the other. At dusk and at dawn, both times of day where either the darkness or the light must fade. Which would you be more content with seeing arise?

And which would cause fear in your eyes?

The light brings beauty

But so does the dark

To the untrained eye

It is unseen

And unconsidered

As I head out to work in the morning, the cold air nips at my nose and the birds chirp. Everything is calm and still. In the morning air, where the world still sleeps, there is a peacefulness.

For a few minutes before I take my leave, I watch the world around from my porch. I look across the grass, towards the forest, watching the morning mist breeze past. Coffee in hand, I walk down the stairs, but stop at the corner of the house, to free a lone firefly from a cobweb. Brushing the webs from my hand, I smile seeing the firefly buzz away to the forest, no doubt to rejoin its family.

I walk down the street to catch the bus. At the stop, I picked up a small flashlight, that seemed to lay lost. A simple day: to wake up just before the sun rises, then off to work, with some chores along the way home, then an evening to relax and off to bed to start again. I had a simple day ahead, but that’s how they all begin. No qualms, no concerns, just a breath of fresh air, a smile, and a coffee.

The day breezed past, as it usually does. I stayed a few hours extra without paying notice, so I left later than intended.

I was in a good mood, so I chose to walk. The daylight began to dwindle, as the sun was descending. Off to the store I went. In and out with almost no time wasted. I gazed up at the sky, to estimate my time. Dusk was coming, but there was still light, so I figured I would be fine. I weighed my options: the long way by street, or the short cut unseen. Already late, I opted for the short cut – to save some time.

As I walked through the abandoned school, I eyed the buildings. Everywhere I looked, it was hard not to notice, just how much time had worn them away. Not a soul in sight, and as quiet as a ghost town, with nothing to be heard, but myself and the wind whistling by. Mildly eerie, but I ignored the thought, continuing on my path to the rear of the school.

The property was big, with quite the distance to cross, it was a few acres at least. Only reaching the edge of the parking lot, where it met the fields, I still had a long trek ahead. Taking a breath, I realized I misjudged the time, dusk was in full swing.

I could see to the edge of the field, where the forest lies. The last marker before my home. The closer I got to the edge of the woods, the faster the sun seemed to disappear. I stood at the border, just before the trees took over. There was no more grass or path, that once looked kept. A shiver running up my spine, the eerie feeling turned foreboding. I looked up at the sky. No more sun was in sight, and the full moon hung high. Thinking to myself if I should reconsider, I realized I didn’t have a choice, I would be out the whole night if I turned back now.

Steadying my nerves, about to enter, when I remembered that I had a flashlight. A fluke complete and coincidental, but a joy to my quickly beating heart. Flashlight gripped tightly in my palm, I entered past where the sky could be seen. Reaching the old gate, six feet in height, now overgrown with plants and rusted; it would only open a mere few inches. Not enough space for myself, a bag, and groceries in tow, to fit together. It had to be one at a time. Pushing the groceries through the opening was easy enough, they just needed some re-arranging. Next was the bag. It was a little tight and took some shoving. Last was me. I took comfort knowing my turn was next, but it didn’t quite matter to the uneasiness which began to spread. With the rustling of a bush, was all that it took. Paranoia was consuming.

You have been taught to fear

That which may lurk

Beyond thy eyes

And within the dark

With a jump, I flailed my flashlight around, to find the source of the sound. In a panic, I turned back to the gate, forcing it as far as it would go. Trying to throw myself through, but I got stuck, the gate couldn’t open… far enough. Half on the side of safety and half on the side of the sound, in a tizzy I thrashed at the gate, throwing the flashlight around. Finally moving the latch in just the right way, I got a few more inches of space, just enough; to get entirely through the gate. Jumping to my feet, I closed the gate, for fear of something that may follow.

Your mind plays tricks

Because 1 sense was lost

But 4 others ever present

You simply forgot

My flashlight now gone, likely somewhere in the trees, I collect my things and continue again on my journey. Every sound that rings out, makes me twitch with concern, as though even my own shadow cannot be trusted. A bit of time passed, wandering through the forest, enough without anything happening, to mislead me into thinking – I could let my guard down. Not two steps later, did my judgement falter. The sound I heard, froze me to my core. A low growl, deep and aggressive behind me – roared.

A jolt to my senses, as my muscles erupted: fight or flight kicked in. I whipped my groceries in the direction of the growl, taking off the opposite way. Running over a hill, a light could be seen.

Is it evil to flee

From something big and scary

That gives chase

By you and me?

It must have been other people. I screamed for help, but the light seemed to be moving away. “WAIT! NO!”. Why were they running away from me?

Seeing a light when lost

May bring hope

But following a light unknown through the dark

Is not seen as smart

The light though growing in distance, still cast streaks throughout the forest. Only partial sight was provided, but enough to know the destination for which I was headed. I gave chase. The light might be running from me, but I was running from something too.

Make your choices

But with wide eyes you must keep

Don’t pretend

There aren’t things

Beyond what you can see

Running faster than I ever had before, hoping the adrenaline coursing through my body wouldn’t fail me. I needed to catch the light. I needed to reach the other people. Ducking around trees and branches the best I could, a root caught my foot.

Lead astray by evil

Or following to thy own upheaval?

Fate brought

Or stupidity sought?

I went crashing to the ground. My audible thud shook the ground. Looking up the light couldn’t be seen anywhere. My chase was done. The light and the people were gone. I couldn’t help but think, what awful people they must be, to have left me behind. They could have helped me, but they didn’t.

Blame another

For a fate

That you yourself create?

I began to cry, thinking I was going to die. Laying on the ground, my sight began to fade. I had hit my head, when I came crashing down, and now I couldn’t stay awake.

From ground to sky

You lay now blind

Dazed and lost

In the sights unseen

Of the surrounding nothing

From which

You can’t break free

Some time had passed, and I opened my eyes. I rolled over eyeing the above treeline. Taking some time to think to myself, finally I sighed with relief, I was still alive.

With a splitting headache, I got myself up, but nothing was straight. I didn’t know where I had come from, or where I was going. Spinning around, something caught my eye.

A Blue light

Or something other

A dizzy world

Now shifting in color

Bumbling about

Everything is a blunder

Tumbling down again and again, I followed aimlessly and dumbfoundedly, whatever this blurry existence was, I didn’t care, it was better for now, than the forest floor where I thought I would die before.

Let the lights raise your spirits

But don’t follow too far

As you may forget

They won’t guide you home

As they have their own

Time ticked by and the farther I walked, the more I was lost, but the clearer my head and my sight got. I could make out the image, of that which I follow. It was the fireflies dancing, to and fro.

To go to their home

Will lead you astray

As dangerous it may be

Along the way

I walked for hours following the firefly’s light. I felt like a child in a story, wandering off to marvel and play, with the beautiful sight. Putting trust in the unknown and a fairy tale ending, that I thought the insects brought; we wandered forever deeper into the forest, where I was now, completely lost.

The green bursts of light

Ever so bright

Will show you

To the beauty you fear

Just out of sight

But it will not

Lead you home tonight

They finally stopped in an opening within the forest. It was like a picture, or a place of dreams. The forest ceiling had a hole, where the moon perfectly aligned. The moon and the stars illuminated the pool of water below making it sparkle. Surrounded by fauna and flora almost glowing under the dancing fireflies, this little area so deep in the forest, seemed enchanted.

For all the fear I had along this path, I could finally see every bit of beauty it held. Only one bad thing happened, and I was afraid even before that and for the rest of the way after.

This haven in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, held as much peace and tranquillity as the morning air, just after dawn.

In the darkness I had feared, but what reason did I have?

It was then I realized the equivalence in beauty between the darkness and the light; because the darkness gives way for the light to shine.

In my haven so freeing, I lied down with my bag for a pillow, trusting the night, until tomorrow.

By: Anabeth Conatts