Saturday, September 18, 2010

The Passage



They were all dressed in black, walking somewhere she hasn’t seen before. Her friends were in front of her, leading the way. First she thought they are somewhere in the low hills, but it also could have been a flat meadow. The mist was so dense, it was difficult to tell. Unable to see the source of the dimmed light, she wasn’t sure what time of the day it was. It could have been early morning, before the sunrise, when the water evaporates, creating this mystic haze just above the ground level. It also could have been after the sunset, once the evening rain had cleaned the air again, leaving the omnipresent fog behind. Her friends were walking just in front of her, a bit quicker. She followed them; her grace and his confidence. She wanted to ask why are they walking so quickly, but she did not ask. Nobody was talking. Actually, not one sound could be heard. The silence among them was as perfect as the mist surrounding them. She saw them walking through the grass and she saw her own feet, yet she could not hear any steps. She could feel her lungs working, and the air going through her nostrils, but the air had no smell and no taste, while her breath was inaudible. She was wearing a black dress and no jewelry. It was a nice dress, yet a simple one. Too daring for a funeral, but too modest for a downtown lounge, if you know what I mean. She did not ask herself why she is wearing that kind of a dress in a rural area such as that one, as if she was unaware of even wearing it. She also did not wonder why she was not feeling any cold or any warmth, as the weather conditions would have suggested some sensation of that sort. The only question puzzling her doubtfully conscious mind during that strange walk was why her friends in front of her are walking so fast. “Wait for me” – her lips said noiselessly. They did not even turn around. It seemed as they are being guided and they did not mind. They were walking through this unusual scenery without leaving any footprints, without leaving any signs of their presence. Although they did not seem to walk quicker, the distance between them and her was increasing. She opened her mouth to shout but her voice was mute. Finally, they disappeared into the mist. Next moment she was there alone, not knowing where she came from and which way to go. She woke up. Her friends were gone.


Luisela's Dream
To Johanna Carreño and Mauricio Teillery

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