…

My mind is racing with memories and thoughts of how everything has fallen. I can no longer dream like before, now it is only the petrifying memories of those around me crumbling. No matter how hard I’ve tried to run, to erase what has been long buried beneath the sands of time, The past always seems to reconvene with the strings that play fate like a mere child’s toy. My mind is plagued by the demons of my past as I continue to play their game, the game in which I pretend that everything is alright. I know it isn’t, it never has. It’s only a matter of time before the edge of the glass shatters, just like all those years ago.

______________________________________________

My eyes struggle to open to the steadily moving beams of sun peeking through the silk touch curtains that sway to the slight breeze. My body is in pain by the time I finally get the motivation to get up, my vision refusing to adjust from the chill of each second pounding in my head like a child in a locked box, trying desperately for an escape. My hands are balled up as my shoulders and elbows shake in opposite directions of one another, the internal feeling of clanking silver spoons as I struggle to catch up to reality. It’s not going to change. Every thought of the previous day begins to fade as I make my way down the wither wooden stairs. The slight creaking of each step jolting me awake. When I turn the corner, I can see waves of flames turning in on themselves as the blazes lick closer and closer, I hastily shake my head, clearing the vivid hallucinations from existence.

“T-this isn’t real…” My voice sounds quiet, almost foreign to even myself.

It’s been what…..nine years now? How much longer will these hallucinations hold up for? And just how much longer will I be able to comprehend the differences between reality and...whatever you would call this? The feeling of cool air drags me from my thoughts, the pitiful look of the world around me settling into an almost peaceful rest.

My hands fumble around the kitchen aimlessly as I look for the small wooden box, a container I commonly use to water the herbs. When I finally grasp ahold of it, my instincts immediately kick in as I move around the house in an almost robotic-manner. My mind goes adrift while I swiftly glide across the house to the front door. When I reach the outside, the blinding sun covers the field, the well being no exception. While I fill the once-empty container in the reservoir, I look towards the dark forest’s sky, the rumbling of thunder bringing in chills from miles out. A storm…

The spring season was coming near and with the season, would come an undoubtedly long and uneventful period of misery. I had always hated the spring season as it was when the locals would begin running around and start trying to teach their offspring to fend for “the good of the village” or whatever they called it. The village was never a reliable source of living. It was not only inefficient but it also brought famine in multiple cases that I could name off the top of my head.

The village usually worked together to “aid one another in surviving” which meant that if you were to grow even the smallest bit of food during a rough patch, you were obligated to split it equally among others. I have had this almost happen to me before, however, I never gave in as I grow my own food and rarely ever took supplies from the village without replenishing them. This mind-set of mine has caused me to become an outsider to most of the locals and would ever really interact with them unless absolutely needed.

I head inside with the now full container as subsided thoughts and attractions reduce to nothing. I am here now, This is my present.

The world around me is silent as the once curled plants flush with life when the clear droplets of water collide with the ground around their roots. I take in the fresh, crisp air one last time as I prepare for the day and look out towards the forest’s blanket of darkness that is steadily approaching.

‘If I want to be able to survive the spring with little setbacks, then I may as well start the weeding and trimming the garden now and later bring in the potted herbs and cover the planted ones as the storm passes over.’ I begin writing down items that I may need from the market as I make a mental note of the herbs and plants for later on.

I continue on throughout the day doing my usual rounds. One of which being checking on the animals including Harper, the small Rosy Boa that has recently become quite attached as of late, as well as Twick, a small spotted albino fawn that had been nearly killed by the nearby hunters. After feeding and tending to the animals, I begin weeding and tending to the gardens and begin covering the outside garden with a wooden crate heavy enough and big enough that once I was to nail it into the ground, it would be close the impossible for our average storm to knock it over - let along harm the herbs inside. It’s late noon by the time I sit down to take a breather. A cup of tea wouldn’t hurt before I’m to retrieve my plants, would it? The next hour is calm and peaceful and is over just as quickly as it had begun.

Each plant type has its place depending on its characteristics. Small food crops such as strawberries and cherry tomatoes were put in one area of the living room while herbs and roots such as Chamomile and Ginger were stat put in the kitchen.

I’m walking around the property one last time making sure I have all the herbs covered and or inside tucked away safely as the wind starts to pick up. The sky has become dark just as I am about to head around the front. However, once again an unknown force compels me to look at the looming forest one last time when I stop dead in my tracks….

There, staring at me is a pair of deep, beautiful glowing green eyes staring straight at me. The world goes silent as both I and the mysterious eyes bore into each other, it’s not until I move do they swiftly disappear into the forest. Against all warnings telling me not too I sprint across the field and stop right along the forest’s fenceline.

Am I really going to do this? My thoughts are soon faded away and forgotten as I trudge into the forest. Hopes and instincts of finding the owner of the eyes driving me to jump the barb-wired fence and seek the painstakingly familiar eyes.

This would be the one moment my life changed forever.