Soaring through the Skies

The forest was lit with fireflies and the gleaming moon, as Morgan fled through the narrow, dirt-ridden path that snaked its way through the woods. Blood soaked through the front of his white, buttoned-up shirt, as he raced through the darkness of the night. Endless trails of sweat travelled their way down his face, as he managed to keep his eyes ripped open. I cannot stop, he thought, desperately searching for a sign.

Countless images and memories floated within his mind. Morgan coughed. His throat was on fire, his head throbbing violently. Pounding, as though an enraged caveman struck him several times. Maggie, he envisioned, Where are you? Suddenly, everything seemed to slow down. Morgan forced his legs to quicken, pushing himself beyond the limit. As far as his eyes could see, only darkness -and darkness alone- lurked within the woods. A blanket of darkness enclosing him, wrapping around him.

A light shone straight ahead, a long distance away. In this moment, the wounded man shielded his severely sensitive eyes using an arm, stumbling over the uneven pavement beneath him. The light grew sharper. Larger as well, until a humanoid figure stood before him. An angelic light, Morgan felt consumed. Submerged within another blanket. Although this time, it was something different. Powerful even. Love, that's what it is, Morgan thought, squinting his eyes, attempting to peer directly at the figure. He clutched at his shirt, his movements caused a covered wound to fester, to become exposed to the nightly air. As the light drew closer, Morgan noticed the shape of the figure. Strikingly familiar, though he couldn't place a finger on it. The outline of the silhouette, how its hair bounced around on their shoulders. An aura of confidence and playful tease. An excruciating sensation of pain was inflicted on his heart. He stumbled once again, tripping over a sizeable rock in his path. His hands brushed against the sandy path as he landed face down in his fall.

The light of the mysterious figure was much closer now. Morgan coughed some more, dribbling a few drops of blood that stuck to his bearded chin. He wiped it off, gritting his teeth, numb to the pain. His entire surroundings flickered and blurred; Morgan refused to acknowledge them. As his sole thoughts were on survival. I need to see her face one last time. The figure drew closer; Morgan caught its scent. The earthy whiff of nature bellowed in the air, but the figure was surrounded by a delicate aroma that consisted of ripened strawberries and the empowering fragrance of blossoming bouquets. Her hand was offered, its skin was glowing softly like fluorescent light washing over him. Morgan was caught in a trance, dazed and in awe.

No words seemed to pour out of him, yet his mouth was open in a paralyzed state, as he slowly gazed up at the one who held their hand out. Tears spilled out of his eyes, as he recognized the shape. The woman was encased in some otherworldly energy. The tightened grip on his throat eased, allowing him to speak. "Maggie, is that you?" he exclaimed, trembling in disbelief. He stared into her eyes. The familiar sight of her sharp, blue eyes stared right back at him. They twinkled against the light that poured out of her skin.

In a millisecond, the world changed. Morgan was plucked out of the woods, and pushed into a majestic endless field of blossoming, colorful flowers and vines that stretched on into the distance. Morgan was motionless, paralyzed, as his glistening eyes were greeted by the greatest sight his eyes could behold. He glanced downwards. He was seated, with a woman of his dreams, arms entangled with each other. The contented man noticed his clothing. A thin, leather jacket, unzipped, revealing a grey hoodie underneath. It was his signature outfit, one he'd thrown away long ago. Remnants of a previous lifetime, a past life he'd given up on. He stared back at her. Maggie was wearing a wedding dress, somehow untouched of the dirt and leaves they'd been laying on. Their bodies knew no physical boundaries, no negative spaces within their masterpiece. Beneath their feet, rippled a comforting, shining blue river that trailed through the land, small waves collapsing into each other. He gripped her tightly. Waves. They were crashing against each other.

Her arms fondled his own, as they overlooked the beauty of their surroundings. The sun glimmered brightly, it's warm rays shining onto the couple. Other than the two of them, the fields were devoid of human contact; they were truly alone. Peacefully. "Maggie..." Morgan trailed off, tears of joy spilling out of his eyes.

Morgan finally felt complete. Only thoughts of his love occupied his mind. Calloused fingers grazed the surface of her soft, white skin. "Morgan," Maggie spoke, her soft, angelic voice flowing out into the air, "I love you."

Morgan felt warmth ripple throughout his body, a magical feeling. It was as if he conquered the world. An unwavering, divine, soulful energy that erupted into the air. The power of Love, he would have said. However, his senses were slow, no words spilled out of his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, Morgan sensed a bird of some sort, enter into the skies of this timeless world. It trailed behind a cloud of black smoke, shimmering down the fields. He stared at it. Something's wrong, he thought. "I have to leave," Maggie added, her tone filled with sadness.

"No, don't go," Morgan pleaded, "Stay with me for a little longer." The bird in the sky drew closer. A barn owl, soaring magnificently in the clear, blue skies. It continued to spew some sort of dark smoke through the air, spreading unrelenting and chilling emotions beneath it. The two of them stared at the owl for a moment. He willed for the owl to leave, its ominous energy seemed to have trickled into his magical dream, disrupting his fantasyland. "Wow," Maggie whispered, "I'd never seen one of those before." Morgan glanced away, lowering his chin on her shoulder, gripping her tighter.

"I won't, I won't let go of you," Morgan said, dreading the end of their relationship. An eerie, sick feeling was planted in his gut. "I have to, please Morgan, try to understand," she said, her voice trembling slightly, "It's only for a few months." Morgan's breathing shook, uneven. The barn owl approached them from the sky, circling above them. Some of the flowers near them, began to droop. The ones alongside the river beneath their feet, wilted and turned brownish. "We can keep in touch, and before you know it, we'll be together again," she claimed, locking eyes with the owl.

Morgan nodded, hesitant, as he continued to hold her. Maggie locked arms with his. Her touch grew colder. In fact, the summer breeze and the warm air, grew chilly and piercing. The owl continued to circle above them, sprinkling the dark smoke all around them. The flowers around them, rapidly lost their color and life, rotten to the touch. The river, previously full of life, now turned an olive-green shade, and diminished in level. Maggie had shed a tear. The drop fell on her arm which trailed downwards and travelled onto Morgan's hand, before finally connecting with the ground and disappearing forever.

As though suddenly made of sand, Maggie slowly slipped away from his arms. Desperate, Morgan grasped and tried to pull her back, but his hands only touched air. Her figure was gradually swept away by the sudden sharp winds. She turned, as she was raised into the sky, floating above him. Maggie smiled, holding back a barrage of tears and sorrows, as she waved farewell. Morgan, wide-eyed, held out his arm to her. The dark smoke began to churn around him, enveloping him in a rapidly thickening fog of darkness, as he continued to call out for her. Morgan jumped up, letting his shoes get soaked from the small, dirt-ridden river beneath him. "Maggie!" he cried out, waves and rivers of tears crashed down his face, tears of sorrow and regret.

The barn owl slowly drew closer to him, and rested on his shoulder. Maggie was gone, vanished into thin air, as he hugged his arms. Waiting for the pain to succumb him. The darkness completely surrounded him, he couldn't sense anything outside of the growing storm around him.

Morgan drew to his knees, screaming out in agony, as he gazed around his miniature void, circling around him. Lines of black weaved against the surface of his skin, like tattoos of lightning. Where those lines connected, appeared a searing sensation of wicked pain. The lines were encased with silent fires, rippling across his body, possessing him.

The smoke vanished, the owl as well, as he was thrust back into the woods. The sudden change in scent, in his surroundings, left him dazed and confused for a moment. Morgan had his hands latched onto the angelic figure of Maggie, her eyes staring warmly towards him. "Let go," she said, in a soothing, apologetic tone, as her light slowly faded away. Maggie disappeared, leaving Morgan alone in the woods. Sobbing. He glanced back at his arms. The black lines continued to fester.

Memories of his past trickled out of the wounds that refused to close. The fiery dark lines, began to gradually disappear. In a short moment, the darkness and pain the broken man had felt, seemed to fade away.

Morgan glanced at the thick woods that surround him. I shouldn't stay here long, he wondered. With every step he took, the quicker the pain subsided. The eerie, strange sensation that circulated around him, lingered on, before it dissipated behind him. The darkness was stuck behind him. Calling out for him. The man trudged along. There was nothing waiting for him, yet there seemed to be an urgency. He felt empty, nothingness. Devoid of energy and sorrow. Depleted of confidence and hurt.

Just then, a bird appeared above. The barn owl, circled around him. The light of a protruding moon glimmered against it's shape, illuminating it's silhouette. The man stared at it, first with contempt, then with wonder. There was no black smoke spewing beneath it. Noticeably, the owl seemed to be different as well. Golden feathers, pearl-coloured fur. A splotch of auburn across its face, imperfect. But somehow majestic and mystifying. Above, beyond the owl, a storm was brewing. The sky cackled, lightning strikes echoing through the thick woods. White lightning.

The man relaxed in comfort, as he continued his voyage to nowhere. The quest to nothing but actualization. He peered down, on his skin. The black lines were gone, but was replaced by another. Morgan stopped, watching, as white lines raced across his skin. Perplexed, the man sighed, and glanced at his path. He smiled. The white lines disappeared, sinking into his body, into his fibers of being. The steps continued his growth, as he travelled onwards. Free.