Hero
Staring through the darkness looking for the light. So blind in an empty tunnel of emotion. She wonders how she became lodged in such a lifeless world, how could she sink so low when she had only just learned to fly?
She kneels and presses her palm onto the floor of the cave – so soft and fragile it seems as her fingers press through it, passed it, into and even darker space of death and decay. That which is beneath her feet seems solid for the moment, but she knows that were she to wish it she would sink below her blankness. She stands again and feels the wall of the lightless prison trapping her. Solid and cold, she muses, like those who caused her steady withdrawal to these depths. She runs her fingers along the surface, upwards, reaching for the ceiling. But she cannot reach so high. Suddenly, with all her heart she needs to stretch and feel the press of that expanse of stone separating her from the world of the light. The sunshine; the smiles and laughter. She stretches her fingers as far from her body as her tendons will allow, but to no avail. She lifts her heels and stretches still further, but nothing. No cool wetness, no pressure against agonized fingertips.
She runs her hands along the walls – perhaps there is some imperfection in their texture, a handhold, a foothold, which she could use to climb higher, to reach the top. Once more the hope proves false, her prison was well constructed.
She crouches now, preparing to leap, she tenses, muscles coiled, ready to spring. She flies into the air, launching up, up, out…but nothing. Now she descends losing hope as she falls, and realizing her fatal error, her tragic mistake.
the floor
The floor with its soft and quicksand composition. Her feet puncture that once solid mush. They lodge themselves and no amount of struggling on her part can release them. To her horror she realizes that as time passes and her hope fades, she is beginning to sink, slowly at first but soon more quickly. It seems as though her despair is dragging her down.
It was then that she lost herself, screaming pitifully, pointlessly fighting to free herself, she screamed and cried and all too soon, she quieted. Accepting her horrible fate, awaiting the inevitable plunge into the inescapable emptiness below her.
Then, as unexpected as her plunge she became aware of a pin strip of light and lo she heard voices. She yelled for help once again only barely able to force sound from her wary throat. Soon the sounds were louder and the beam of a flashlight fell on her face – all that remained visible of her body
She gazed up and recognized the face of her hero. He knelt beside her and reached his hands into the muddy carpet. He pulled her up, up, and out. She was Free.
He gazed lovingly into her eyes and offered her his hand. Smiling, she took it, smiling, and allowed him to lead her through the darkness. He tested the path before each step, and when she stumbled he would catch her. She made her way with him towards happiness and love. Soon she could se the first tendrils of light seeping into the tunnel. They moved more quickly now, not heeding their steps, taking more fool hardy routes. . She took the lead from him and in her haste, left him behind. Now she was running. She saw the Exit and halted, overjoyed. She turned to him, to express her joy. But he was not there. The trail behind her was empty. She began to tremble, fear began to creep into her body. She backtracked, turned from the light. She listened, but heard no cries, she could no t find him.
She knelt then, with knowledge in her heart. With certainty and despair she began to probe the ground with her hand and felt what she knew she would. A single hand protruding from the waste. She took his hand and felt his muscles respond, clutching her fiercely, unwilling to surrender. She pulled with all her strength, pulled with a strength that was beyond her own. But it was not enough. He had sunk too far and she had not realized in time. She held on to his hand until her own hand was submerged, until she could feel the emptiness beyond. She held on until she once ore began to sink. Held on as her strength gave out, until she was dying. Would hold until the end.
She held on, until he let go.
