09-17-2015, 03:27 AM
Saying Goodbye
The man stood at the grave, a lone figure with the fiery colors of sunset overhead. Red and orange and yellow, fallen leaves stirred and swelling upward with a gust of autumn wind. He wore no coat but he felt no chill, his mind was too preoccupied with what was in his mind. He didn't bring flowers, to him it all seemed to cliche and hollow. His hands were deep in his pockets, his eyes met the stone as though it was staring back.
"I'm sorry I haven't visited in...well...ever," he let out something that was a mixture of a breath and a laugh. He had thought it over and over again in his head, but still new words came out of his mouth rather than what he had mentally prepared.
"I'm sorry I never said goodbye, I guess I never got a chance to. I was in a bad place for long time...I hope you didn't see that."
It had been well over a year, nearly two. Nearly two years of unspoken words were freed by him, breaking the heavy silence. Another breeze, but he paid it no heed. He rubbed his face with a hand and breathed deeply before going on.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't come by until now, I had things in my life that needed to be worked out...I think you'd understand. But I still feel bad because you were there for me when I needed it...," a hitch entered his deep voice, but he did not cry.
"Thank you, for everything that you did for me. You were a key part of my life, and I will always remember that, even if I don't say it. You kept a good piece of myself alive...I'm sorry you saw me try to destroy it...I was a fool. A scared, scared fool."
An orange colored leaf rested on his shoulder for a moment before he gently held it in his fingers.
"I am feeling much better now, though," he smiled slightly, still looking at the leaf. "I'm happy, I'm healthier," he laughed slightly, "and I'm in love."
He looked back at the stone.
"Who would've guessed that last one huh? I'm in love with an amazing woman."
A beat of silence passed once more before the man decided to speak again.
"Thank you, I know I've said that so many times here, but you helped me get far in my life. The least I can do is thank you. You'll always be special to me. Always."
He let the brightly colored leaf go, allowing to fly away with the wind, it twirled about for a couple of seconds before being carried some place far away. Somehow the silence seemed broken forever, like a weight had been lifted from the man's shoulders. He smiled, kneeling down and placing a hand gently on the stone.
"Goodbye."
The man stood with a sigh, not a sad one, perhaps one of happiness. Or relief.
He turned to the gateway to see her standing there, she had respected his privacy and desire to do this alone. Even from the distance he was at he could tell she was smiling at seeing him smile at her. He felt his heart swell with love and joy at the sight of her, the woman who had given him everything. She had given to him his heart, his love, his happiness, his very self back to him. When he thought he never would feel that in his entire life.
He walked to her, his feet stepping onto the concrete path that ran the length of the area and progressed towards her and the gate. Silhouetted by the dying rays of sun she seemed to be a glowing, radiant symbol of freedom, waiting for him. Wordlessly he hugged her, gently taking her into his embrace, chin resting upon her shoulder; feeling her slender fingers run through his hair he heard her voice whisper in his ear.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes...I'm okay...putting it mildly," he chuckled.
She pulled back to look him in the eyes, still embracing him, smiling a beautiful smile at him.
"Let's go home."
Author's Note:
This writing is entirely symbolic of things in my life, the woman at the gate is clearly intended to be interpreted as Nightmare.
The man stood at the grave, a lone figure with the fiery colors of sunset overhead. Red and orange and yellow, fallen leaves stirred and swelling upward with a gust of autumn wind. He wore no coat but he felt no chill, his mind was too preoccupied with what was in his mind. He didn't bring flowers, to him it all seemed to cliche and hollow. His hands were deep in his pockets, his eyes met the stone as though it was staring back.
"I'm sorry I haven't visited in...well...ever," he let out something that was a mixture of a breath and a laugh. He had thought it over and over again in his head, but still new words came out of his mouth rather than what he had mentally prepared.
"I'm sorry I never said goodbye, I guess I never got a chance to. I was in a bad place for long time...I hope you didn't see that."
It had been well over a year, nearly two. Nearly two years of unspoken words were freed by him, breaking the heavy silence. Another breeze, but he paid it no heed. He rubbed his face with a hand and breathed deeply before going on.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't come by until now, I had things in my life that needed to be worked out...I think you'd understand. But I still feel bad because you were there for me when I needed it...," a hitch entered his deep voice, but he did not cry.
"Thank you, for everything that you did for me. You were a key part of my life, and I will always remember that, even if I don't say it. You kept a good piece of myself alive...I'm sorry you saw me try to destroy it...I was a fool. A scared, scared fool."
An orange colored leaf rested on his shoulder for a moment before he gently held it in his fingers.
"I am feeling much better now, though," he smiled slightly, still looking at the leaf. "I'm happy, I'm healthier," he laughed slightly, "and I'm in love."
He looked back at the stone.
"Who would've guessed that last one huh? I'm in love with an amazing woman."
A beat of silence passed once more before the man decided to speak again.
"Thank you, I know I've said that so many times here, but you helped me get far in my life. The least I can do is thank you. You'll always be special to me. Always."
He let the brightly colored leaf go, allowing to fly away with the wind, it twirled about for a couple of seconds before being carried some place far away. Somehow the silence seemed broken forever, like a weight had been lifted from the man's shoulders. He smiled, kneeling down and placing a hand gently on the stone.
"Goodbye."
The man stood with a sigh, not a sad one, perhaps one of happiness. Or relief.
He turned to the gateway to see her standing there, she had respected his privacy and desire to do this alone. Even from the distance he was at he could tell she was smiling at seeing him smile at her. He felt his heart swell with love and joy at the sight of her, the woman who had given him everything. She had given to him his heart, his love, his happiness, his very self back to him. When he thought he never would feel that in his entire life.
He walked to her, his feet stepping onto the concrete path that ran the length of the area and progressed towards her and the gate. Silhouetted by the dying rays of sun she seemed to be a glowing, radiant symbol of freedom, waiting for him. Wordlessly he hugged her, gently taking her into his embrace, chin resting upon her shoulder; feeling her slender fingers run through his hair he heard her voice whisper in his ear.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes...I'm okay...putting it mildly," he chuckled.
She pulled back to look him in the eyes, still embracing him, smiling a beautiful smile at him.
"Let's go home."
Author's Note:
This writing is entirely symbolic of things in my life, the woman at the gate is clearly intended to be interpreted as Nightmare.