Today I ran away

Today I ran away. I drove for miles, 'til the sun set upon the horizon and the dawn of night set upon my troubled heart. As I came to unfamiliar roads, my car came to a complete, unexpected stop. I did not panic, as I had no destination and here, as my car sat on loose gravel, between the highest of trees at the foot of a deep forest, was as good a destination as any.

I reclined my seat and lay staring at the roof as I breathed deeply and calmly, welcoming the overwhelming indolent sensation which held me in its grasp. I closed my eyes for just a second only to snap them open immediately as a fluorescent green light flooded my entire car. Just as quickly as it appeared, it retreated, into the depths of the woods. I watched in disbelief, questioning the stability of my own state of mind.

I hesitated before opening my car door and stepped out into the darkness of the shadows cast across the gravel by the enormous trees towering above me. I breathed deeply and the cold in the air was harsh and rushed into my lungs like ice water, sending a shiver up my spine and stopping at my neck. I walked from the car to the first trees which stood before me.

Still staring at the faintest of light, glowing deep into the darkness of the trees, I stepped into the unknown, slowly walking towards it. I had no idea what came over me to walk into those trees, but I had no fear. I had no emotion at all. I just moved forward, step after step, stumbling occasionally as the light was not enough to create a clear path.

As the light finally grew closer, my heart began to pound heavily in my chest and my footsteps started to land in time with each beat. I realised I was running. Faster and faster as my heartbeat grew heavier. The woods were now illuminated around me and I was racing towards this light. Ahead I saw a small clearing among the trees, lit up so brightly in green that is seemed as if night had become day and the sun was reflected through every leaf.

I reached the opening at full pace and tripped on a fallen branch, landing flat on my face and sliding along the ground for a full meter or two. The opening suddenly fell back into darkness and I was lying on the cold ground, motionless and suddenly frightened. There was only silence.

I did not move a muscle, but as if by magic, I was being pulled to my feet by something I could not see. I tried to turn around and realised my feet were no longer on the ground. I looked down to the ground in shock as it slowly grew further away. I was being held by something, around my shoulders and my arms, slowly being lifted higher into the trees.

I closed my eyes tight in disbelief hoping that when I opened them I’d be safe in my own home, waking from this dream in the comfort of my own bed. I opened one eye and then both opened wide in awe, as what lay before me was an array of colours, shining brightly, lighting up the trees around me. Blues and pinks and greens and purples; I felt as if I were floating on a rainbow.

My head felt light and my body relaxed; I felt no desire to be let down.

“We just wanted to show you”.  The whisper in my ear was so soft and so calm; I believed it was in my own mind. The colours started to dim, revealing small winged creatures flying around me. I looked to my side and there were at least eight of them on each arm, their wings beating in unison, lifting me. I had long since lost faith in my sanity and now could only stare, mouth gaping, in fascination at the creatures that flew about my head.

I felt one settle on my shoulder and pull itself up to my ear. “We needed to show you”, it said, leaping from my shoulder and hovering in front of my face, staring straight into my eyes. Long hair flowed down over a naked, feminine body. She glowed a dull green and her wings were much bigger than those of the other creatures. She turned and began to fly away from me, her light became much brighter and the others followed her, carrying me along with them. I could now hear the beating of their wings very clearly, so fast and all at the exact same time. They carried me a long while, before placing me down on the ground. They then flew together, with so much speed, into the darkness and disappeared. All except one.

The green one, who had spoken to me earlier, sat on a thin branch protruding from a giant tree which stood directly before me. Her legs were folded over and she rested her head in her hands, staring at me like a curious child. “I know you’re confused,” She said smiling lightly before beginning to climb the branch, balancing with two outstretched arms, “we just had to show you”.

 I spoke for the first time in hours and all that came out was a slight whisper, “Show me what?”
She stood a while staring at me, as if trying to decide what she would say. “At one point in your life, you will be exactly where you were meant to be and you will realise that everything you have ever done was just steps leading to that very moment. Look behind you”, she said pointing. I turned around and behind me was darkness. Nothing but silhouettes of trees fading into pitch black. She landed on my shoulder once more. “This is where you have been. Alone. Face down on the ground and frightened. But now,” She pushed my head to the side, ‘til I turned my body around, “You have been shown something new”. The colours had returned and were speeding around each other, creating swirls in the night sky. “Don’t go back into the darkness.”

I lay down on the ground and studied the flying creatures as they danced in the air, creating amazing patterns, dimming and brightening their lights as they pleased. Before long I drifted to sleep with my head rested against the thick root of the tree standing before me. I woke in my car to the morning sun appearing over the trees. The seat was reclined. My clothes and skin were both in tact. I closed my eyes tight, remembering all that had happened in such a bizarre dream. As I drove away, i felt as if I had one million eyes staring at me.