Nightmare

I am running through the woods. The sky is dimming; dusk is falling. I am looking for someone, but I don't know where he is. I keep running through the eerily silent woods. I fear the sunset, but I don't know why.

The trees start to thin gradually and I enter a clearing. Panting, I stop for a moment to catch my breath. I take a look around and I realize that the clearing is full of people. How am I supposed to find the one I am looking for? A flash from the clearing's other end catches me in the eye, blinding me for a moment as the sun passes over it. It is a giant mirror, though no people or trees are reflected in it.

I take off again, jogging into the crowd, looking this way and that. I call his name but there is no response, just a bunch of people, buzzing with a flurry of distant, intermingled emotions.

Finally I see him. I shout his name and he looks up.

"Cypress!" he cries upon recognizing me. (Note: Actually I'm not sure what he called me. I don't even remember if it was my own name.) He approaches me like an old friend, even though I'm unsure if I know him in the real world or not. "It's so good to see you!" he says, and he means it.

I break down and start sobbing. Understanding my fears, he draws me close and I sob into his chest. "You have to go back," I manage to choke out.

He doesn't reply for a moment, but he strokes my hair to soothe me. "There is no place for me there."

I break away, tears still on my face. "It's your home! You have to go home!" I protest. "Please, go back."

He shakes his head. "I cannot go back, only forward." It is now almost fully dark, the sun has set. There are no stars, no moon.

"Forward to where?" I ask, but my voice is suddenly lost in a strong gust of wind. I notice that the crowd is gone and we are alone. I steal a glance at the strange mirror at the clearing's other side. It is gone, having been replaced by a fluttering curtain. I cannot see beyond it.

The wind still blows softly as he gives me one last hug before he turns away and walks toward the curtain. "No, stop!" I shout, but he doesn't turn back around.

I am rooted to the spot, I couldn't move further if I tried. He nears the curtain and I stand with baited breath as he passes through it as if it were mist.

I realize that I am crying again, sobbing and screaming his name. Deep down, I know that it is no good. He is gone forever.