Treasure

There I stand, at the foot of a bridge. Debating on whether I want to cross or not I look around and see there is no where else to go. The first step is pain. I behold the make of the bridge and see that its made of glass. Jagged pieces, stronger than steel, large and small, stick out in every direction. No matter where I put my feet, but there is no where else to go. I take another step, and another. As my lifeblood makes a trail behind me and runs to the depths below, I keep walking. The next step my legs shatter, my feet bloody pulps. I will not fall, I keep going. The pain overwhelms until there is nothing but agony. It seems like that's all there is, all there ever has been. Below me I see others that have taken this path and have fallen. They are impaled on the rocks below and cannot die. The ones below me make no sound, having given in to the pain, but where the bridge started I notice the wails of those who gave up too soon, trying to get away. I keep walking. Finlay, I crumble to my knees, and I'm only halfway there. In despair, I think of myself weak, that I should have been able to keep going. My body a bloody mess, left to die, I make no sound, mouthing the words "WHY?". Then someone comes up behind me and picks me up. I can't see them. The only thing they say is, " This path was never meant to be walked alone." Everything goes black.






I open my eyes at a feast. In front of me are endless delicacies. Milk and honey, apples, peaches, pears, pomegranates, strawberries, bananas, and countless others. A peach is placed in front of me by an unknown hand. Mouth watering I take a bite, and taste ash. It falls to pieces, dissipating into nothing between my fingers. Tentatively I take a blueberry and pop it into my mouth and get nothing. The more food I eat the hungrier I get. Desperately I search for something to eat knowing that I need sustenance to stay strong and alive. Every second I get weaker, until I can move no longer. Another person, or maybe the same one, comes up behind me and takes my hand to lead me away. "This isn't the food that you should eat," is the last thing I hear before I drift away again.






Now standing in front of a vast ocean. I see no one around, I am all alone. There are footprints in the sand, thousands of them, of all the people that came through here, or maybe even those that will come through too. Behind me is a dark wood, haunting and inviting at the same time. I turn back to the ocean, thirsty and take a drink. It is sweet on the lips and is cool going down my throat. I keep drinking my fill, but I cant seem to sate my thirst. I keep drinking until my stomach is about to burst, still believing I need to drink more. Then a voice from the woods calls. Man or woman I cannot tell, nor what they said, but all other thought is lost as I realize that someone else is here. Bloated I leave the ocean behind me and step towards the woods. The voice calls again, "I know where you can sate your thirst," and the presence is gone. With great anticipation I start down a path through the woods.






This time I am not alone. Little light streams through the leaves, just enough to see a few feet and nothing more. The shadows move around me, I can feel their hunger, their hatred. A wolf howls in the distance and a raven flies overhead, both a portent of doom. I start running, fear of helplessness trying to overtake me, I just keep running. Branches grab at my clothing, cut into my arms and face, trying to slow me down. The shadows follow, but I notice that they will not come any closer. I stop breathless, but they stay out of my circle, they will not touch me. Their hatred burns. Then I notice singing, a melody of the wood. Everywhere and nowhere at the same time, I feel it pull at me. Having lost myself I follow it, not caring where it goes to. After what seems an eternity I come upon a small lake, crystal clear and so still it resembles glass. The entire area is lit by moonlight, the shadows left at the end of the trees. I move to the water's edge, thirst burning my whole being, and stare. Water so pure, so fresh, yet I cant make myself take a drop. My hands cupped I drop to my knees, mere inches away. The persona of my dreams walks up behind me and places a hand on my shoulder.









All I can think as I sit there is how I have reached a goal, but should I take it? Will I be disappointed? Have I failed myself again? Countless thoughts skirt across the surface of my mind, none ever more than glimpsed. Then she is there, my jewel, my treasure. She hides from me, but not away from me. Patience, trust, and understanding is all she askes of me. She whispers in my ear to take a drink, and squeezes my shoulder. I dip my hands into the water to take the water to my mouth, then I wake.