Homecoming.
Running, always running. Faster, never fast enough. They were gaining, coming closer, almost on him. He had never seen their faces, couldn’t say what they were, except that with them, came fear. Not merely fear, as of the unknown, or a high fall. But fear so deep down, so full of utter terror, that nothing could be found with in him except the desire to run, as far and as fast as he could.
It seemed like years he had been running. He couldn’t remember a time when he had walked freely among the trees, or laid out in the open grass, watching the clouds. If ever he did feel the chase ease for a moment, it was only a deception. Before he could escape, they had him trapped, would bring him down, closer to the edge then ever before.
Time and again he thought he might finally be free of them; that he had finally found a place they dared not tread. Then, around the next corner, or from the branch above him, they would attack. Each time, the pain grew worse, the fear greater. But the attacks were not brought by weapons. No swords or axes were among these creatures that pursued him. The pain, the horror, were in the things they showed him. Horrors, deep and dark, pain beyond description. Though he tried all his life, no words could ever be found to describe the terrors of the mind.
“Enough,” he finally said. “I will run no more. I have nothing left.” And there, in a dark corner of a forgotten forest, surrounded by the very darkness he fear so much, he sat against the trunk of a tree and wept. His soul poured from him, every pain he had felt, every step he had taken was seen again in those tears. And then…
“Why are you crying?” said a small voice.
He jumped, snapped out from his private desperation, and looked upon… he could not say for sure. So covered in tears were his eyes that all he saw before him was a single point of yellow light. Though the only light he saw, it did not pain his darkened eyes. Rather, it seemed, this light was soothing. When his vision finally began to clear, he could not believe what they held before him.
“Hi there.” Said the small voice, this time smiling and waving her tiny hand. Her wings fluttered slightly, sending just a hint of a breeze across the mans face. She wore what looked like a leaf, stitched together to become a dress. There, before him, was a faerie.
He opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words. What was he seeing? Had he finally been driven mad by the creatures that had pursued him for so long? He rubbed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to clear the strange vision from his mind, but when he looked again, there she remained.
“Do you have a name?” she said.
Before he could respond, another light appeared, partially hidden behind a large tree root. The face with in the light looked inquisitively at the man, then skittered over to the first, giggling in childish glee.
“What have you found?” asked the second faerie.
“A new friend. But I think he’s afraid.” Answered the first.
“Afraid? Here?” said a third, gliding down from the leaves above. This faerie, unlike the others, was a man. Or as near to one as creatures of such beauty can be. “Come, you are safe here,” He said to the man.
The faerie reached out his small hand, and without fully knowing what was happening, the man, his face still stained by his tears, was taking the small hand of the faerie-man, and being led deeper into the forest. His mind screamed, A trap! We shall be killed!
I will run no more, said his heart. The faeries looked now at the young man, each smiling, comforting him. Had he been heard? Impossible, the words were spoken within him, not aloud. But… what if…
His thoughts were interrupted before they could complete themselves. They had seemingly reached their destination. Deep in this dark and seemingly evil place, far from any village of men, there was a city, bright with life. Wings flew past, laughter sang among the leaves. Some sat along the edge of a stream, talking with the water. Others rode leaves, flowing down stream at a snails pace. All were happy, content.
The man looked around him, awed by what he saw. Had any human seen this place? Did any even believe such a thing could exist? How had he found this haven? Why had he been allowed to enter this sacred realm?
His thoughts raced. His mind whirled. He felt he could not keep his feet. He heart raced, longing to dash between the leaves of the trees high overhead. His legs demanded to touch the cooling waters, to swim among these creatures. His armed desired nothing but to hold the one who had found him, long and silently, for no words could describe his joy at that moment.
The Faerie-man smiled at him, almost laughed, for he knew his heart, as did they all. Each in turn looked to him, smiled, welcomed him. A song rang out, full of joy and laughter. The two women who had found him dashed off, only to pause and return to him, the first tugging at his hand, the second laughing freely.
“Come with us!” said the first, tugging on his arm… which, he noticed, was now the same size as hers.
“Yes, hurry! They are just beginning!” said the second, standing in the air, her wings holding her in place. He giggled at his reluctance, then glided closer, and placed her hand on his face. “You are safe here. Come, laugh, sing, Stay,” she said, her eyes shining like starlight.
“I cannot,” said the man. “I am human. I have not wings to fly.” And again, the tears began.
“You have forgotten many things, in your years away.” Said the faerie-man. “I did not lead a man here today.” He said with a smile. “I lead a child home.”
He could not believe the words, yet his heart knew the truth of them. As did his soul, as he found himself quite a distance above the ground, but had no recollection of stepping from the earth. He looked to his hands, and saw the light shine from within. Tears ran from him, tears of joy, tears of sorrow, tears of longing. His heart flowed through him, bringing a new life.
He did not know how, or why, nor, in truth, did he care. The Faeries were still pulling on him, leading him to some grand adventure, or perhaps merely a joyful song. He cared not which, for he was home. He raced off, towards the glorious music, ahead of the two who had first met him. Their laughter was ambrosia, and his soul ate like never before.
The faerie-man stayed behind, watching them race through the air. He smiled, small and inwardly, but deep and true. “Years may have passed, but I remembered your dreams. Your leaving was the only pain I have ever known, but this day is the joyous of my life. You are home my friend, and I am glad of that.”
It seemed like years he had been running. He couldn’t remember a time when he had walked freely among the trees, or laid out in the open grass, watching the clouds. If ever he did feel the chase ease for a moment, it was only a deception. Before he could escape, they had him trapped, would bring him down, closer to the edge then ever before.
Time and again he thought he might finally be free of them; that he had finally found a place they dared not tread. Then, around the next corner, or from the branch above him, they would attack. Each time, the pain grew worse, the fear greater. But the attacks were not brought by weapons. No swords or axes were among these creatures that pursued him. The pain, the horror, were in the things they showed him. Horrors, deep and dark, pain beyond description. Though he tried all his life, no words could ever be found to describe the terrors of the mind.
“Enough,” he finally said. “I will run no more. I have nothing left.” And there, in a dark corner of a forgotten forest, surrounded by the very darkness he fear so much, he sat against the trunk of a tree and wept. His soul poured from him, every pain he had felt, every step he had taken was seen again in those tears. And then…
“Why are you crying?” said a small voice.
He jumped, snapped out from his private desperation, and looked upon… he could not say for sure. So covered in tears were his eyes that all he saw before him was a single point of yellow light. Though the only light he saw, it did not pain his darkened eyes. Rather, it seemed, this light was soothing. When his vision finally began to clear, he could not believe what they held before him.
“Hi there.” Said the small voice, this time smiling and waving her tiny hand. Her wings fluttered slightly, sending just a hint of a breeze across the mans face. She wore what looked like a leaf, stitched together to become a dress. There, before him, was a faerie.
He opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words. What was he seeing? Had he finally been driven mad by the creatures that had pursued him for so long? He rubbed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to clear the strange vision from his mind, but when he looked again, there she remained.
“Do you have a name?” she said.
Before he could respond, another light appeared, partially hidden behind a large tree root. The face with in the light looked inquisitively at the man, then skittered over to the first, giggling in childish glee.
“What have you found?” asked the second faerie.
“A new friend. But I think he’s afraid.” Answered the first.
“Afraid? Here?” said a third, gliding down from the leaves above. This faerie, unlike the others, was a man. Or as near to one as creatures of such beauty can be. “Come, you are safe here,” He said to the man.
The faerie reached out his small hand, and without fully knowing what was happening, the man, his face still stained by his tears, was taking the small hand of the faerie-man, and being led deeper into the forest. His mind screamed, A trap! We shall be killed!
I will run no more, said his heart. The faeries looked now at the young man, each smiling, comforting him. Had he been heard? Impossible, the words were spoken within him, not aloud. But… what if…
His thoughts were interrupted before they could complete themselves. They had seemingly reached their destination. Deep in this dark and seemingly evil place, far from any village of men, there was a city, bright with life. Wings flew past, laughter sang among the leaves. Some sat along the edge of a stream, talking with the water. Others rode leaves, flowing down stream at a snails pace. All were happy, content.
The man looked around him, awed by what he saw. Had any human seen this place? Did any even believe such a thing could exist? How had he found this haven? Why had he been allowed to enter this sacred realm?
His thoughts raced. His mind whirled. He felt he could not keep his feet. He heart raced, longing to dash between the leaves of the trees high overhead. His legs demanded to touch the cooling waters, to swim among these creatures. His armed desired nothing but to hold the one who had found him, long and silently, for no words could describe his joy at that moment.
The Faerie-man smiled at him, almost laughed, for he knew his heart, as did they all. Each in turn looked to him, smiled, welcomed him. A song rang out, full of joy and laughter. The two women who had found him dashed off, only to pause and return to him, the first tugging at his hand, the second laughing freely.
“Come with us!” said the first, tugging on his arm… which, he noticed, was now the same size as hers.
“Yes, hurry! They are just beginning!” said the second, standing in the air, her wings holding her in place. He giggled at his reluctance, then glided closer, and placed her hand on his face. “You are safe here. Come, laugh, sing, Stay,” she said, her eyes shining like starlight.
“I cannot,” said the man. “I am human. I have not wings to fly.” And again, the tears began.
“You have forgotten many things, in your years away.” Said the faerie-man. “I did not lead a man here today.” He said with a smile. “I lead a child home.”
He could not believe the words, yet his heart knew the truth of them. As did his soul, as he found himself quite a distance above the ground, but had no recollection of stepping from the earth. He looked to his hands, and saw the light shine from within. Tears ran from him, tears of joy, tears of sorrow, tears of longing. His heart flowed through him, bringing a new life.
He did not know how, or why, nor, in truth, did he care. The Faeries were still pulling on him, leading him to some grand adventure, or perhaps merely a joyful song. He cared not which, for he was home. He raced off, towards the glorious music, ahead of the two who had first met him. Their laughter was ambrosia, and his soul ate like never before.
The faerie-man stayed behind, watching them race through the air. He smiled, small and inwardly, but deep and true. “Years may have passed, but I remembered your dreams. Your leaving was the only pain I have ever known, but this day is the joyous of my life. You are home my friend, and I am glad of that.”