They go on forever, don’t they? The trees I mean. And the mist, swirling around me like viscous water. Floating yet tied to the earth by invisible chains. The world is grey, in hues of only black and white. A movement to my right leaves a whirlpool of mist between the trees. I spin around, heart beating, but she is gone. I can’t move fast enough, as if time has slowed her watch. Flitting from tree to tree she laughs softly, her dark hair the only part of her I ever glimpse. And her dress, flowing around her like pale waves. She dances along the edges of my vision as I pivot on the spot, trying to catch her with my eyes, to stop the madness bleeding from my eyes and my heart! Because I know her! I’d know her anywhere if ever I saw her. I would scream her name over and over again just to cry out, to have tears run in sobbing rivulets down my cheeks for mismatched agonies.

Suddenly she stirs no more and my vision stills. Eyes darting about, I slowly pivot and silently gasp as I find her standing behind me. her haunting beauty reminds me of a poem I once read of a woman who made the magpies screech and the willows weep. What soft sorrow now fills her eyes - but I know her. My heart recognizes her, as it threatens to free itself from such a cage as my ribs form. A tear slides gently down her cheek, her deep, dark eyes searching mine as desperately as mine own. Slowly, I reach my hand out to her. That delicate figure, so waif-like and fragile must surely be a mere cruel illusion. She does the same, always cautious. Hesitantly, I take a step towards her and as our fingertips touch my hand meets glass.

“NO!” The silent scream rips itself agonizingly from my throat. She merely watches with sorrowful eyes that seem to carry so much pain, so much so that I feel hypnotized by their depth.

“Don’t do this to me,” I crumple to my knees, sobbing as she gracefully turns to walk away. “Don’t leave me,” I whisper. A lifetime of pain catches itself in my chest as I watch her glide gently away, as if she hasn’t got a care in the world. Her dark hair reaches her hips and sways gently as she disappears among the trees and into the mist.

“Mother!”



I gasp, suddenly wide awake as the plane hits the tarmac with a jolt. I wipe the sweat from my forehead with a shaking hand, the scream still echoing in my ears. Clenching my hand tightly into a fist, a glance in my immediate vicinity reveals to me that I’ve attracted other travelers’ attention. With a slight toss of my head I let my long, thick dark hair hide my face from the other passengers of the plane.