Sunday, February 16, 2014

Fairytale Forest

Beltane
16. February 2014
Location: Book Island
Host: Harriet Gausman
Picture Prompt: Fairytale Forest
Time: 30 mins

The sun peered through the thick wall of pine trees and the stubby shrubbery shone a glossy shine of whiteness. Somehow, trying to find my way, I got startled by each branch cracking under my footsteps. The noise echoed from all directions, making me look left and right. I always thought the sun would give a warm tone to everything it touched, but this time its kisses were white. The clearing ahead promised a tempting opportunity for a well-deserved rest, or so I thought. And yet, it seemed to mock me. It would move farther and farther away from my need to rest, increasing it, setting it into a frantic state of anxiety. It was just right ahead of me, I could see it clearly and it was quite implausible to me that walking as fast and as determined as I did, I couldn’t simply… get there.
Suddenly, I opened my eyes. I couldn’t breathe for a few seconds and felt totally overpowered. I was having a nightmare… I inhaled violently, trying to free myself from the claws of immobility. I sat upright and looked around. I was safe, I thought.
The breeze swirled languidly around me. I must’ve left the window open during the night.
I tried to stand up and heard a branch cracking under my knee. Was I still dreaming? I stood up and looked about. The light was intense. I closed and opened my eyes a few times so they could adjust. And I took one step, one single step.
No. No. No. How many days ago had I made the worst decision of my life? Go experience the space, don’t imagine it, and just go there. A forest is a magic place, you’ll be able to write the perfect fairytale if you go and see it for yourself.
I was still lost. I was still in the forest. And there was still no clearing. And still no fairytale, only the forest, the never ending forest.

2 comments:

  1. wonderful read!! and I love the not so deep dark forest (and photographing it.) As for that place between dreaming and waking - I've been there, struggling to poke one finger through the veil to break the spell of a dark fairy tale. Keep the stories coming!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, Cybele. It's fascinating to, as you say, poke through that thin line that exists between a "nice" fairytale and a darker one, though I've always thought that a lot of darkness lures in most (if not all!) fairy-tales! Perhaps that is even what makes they so captivating! Drop by anytime. I love to have feedback from you and all the readers. :)

      Delete