The Way In The Woods

I felt as I walked along this quiet country path within the leafy trees a little like Red Riding Hood awaiting the wolf to pop out and ask me where I was going. The thing is I had no answer to give. I was just here wandering and thinking.

It was bright with sunshine streaming through the canopy even though my soul felt the darkness of the night. I couldn’t stop walking, something was driving me. Was it fear? Was it love? None of these questions seemed to answer the impulsive, intruding thoughts in my head.

I hadn’t noticed the day growing old, suddenly it seemed as though the day matched my mood. Dark and brooding like my soul. Why was I here? Why couldn’t I stop yet? The trees grew thicker as it grew somber and still. I realized that no birds were singing and then it occurred to me that there had been no animal sounds the whole time I had been in these woods which now seemed more like a forest.

What was here that was more scary than me. Maybe the wolf would come and devour me and I longed for that. It would be the end of me not feeling the bleakness of my soul. 

Soon I came to a clearing in the middle of the wood. I saw the moon shining and forgot that I had been here for hours. It was so bright, so full that it made my heart sing. My dark thoughts seemed to leave bit by bit as I gazed upon the full moon. It was so brilliant and clear and my soul began to sing.

I started to run through the trees and singing with all my might. My mind was clear and my lungs were strong. I felt at peace and soon I was joined by others. Running by my side, I glanced at them and saw they were the same as me.

Their fur bristled and flared as the wind whistled past them as they ran with me. Eyes were glittering and burned the color of yellow. Yellow like the sun that trapped them in their human forms. The moon gave us our true, free forms and we ran until we couldn’t run anymore. This was true freedom.