The confusion has ended,
the struggle been won,
(at least for now)
the door has opened,
and he is running.

Running to her,
running to the open arms,
oblivious to the wall
roaring up before him.
She sees the wall,
(she always sees the wall)
tries to cry out,
but she is frozen,
with her arms open wide.

And he runs on.
Unaware of her pain,
unaware of the horror
in her eyes
(though all he sees are her eyes)
as he runs to meet his end,
to break himself
upon those unyielding stones.

He nears the wall
and still her smile
is frozen on her face,
arms welcoming, inviting.
She can't cry out,
try as she might,
and she can't make him see
(the others always saw)
the danger awaiting up ahead.

The mists gather in a form before her -
a girl not unlike herself,
smiling as if to say
it's all for the best.
Overhead the sky darkens and thunders
and in the back of her mind
it seems that she can
hear the shadows laughing.
(they never laughed before)
and suddenly the girl
seems more threatening than the wall.

Closer and closer,
still he runs to her.
And the sky grows darker
and the lightning brighter
and the girl's smile harsher
and the laughter louder.
A few steps more...
she can't watch,
(how could she watch before?)
closing her eyes tight
and wishing with all of her heart
for some miracle to make him see,
for the horrible sight and sound
of him dashed upon the wall
to never be.

Silence.
No scream, no thud,
no lightning, no laughter.
Still she is afraid
to open her eyes,
afraid to see him,
(afraid she'd lost him)
her love,
destroyed upon the wall,
afraid to see the girl
standing, gloating,
her minion shadows
poised to attack.

11/02/2001

Posted on 11/06/2001
Copyright © 2025 Amanda J Cobb