In The Canyon

We met up in the canyon in my dream. You were aloof with a creepy smile on your face. I confronted you as sycamore leaves fell behind you and tiny animals crunched the fallen beneath their feet.

"Why have you chosen to disregard me? What has compelled you to be such an ugly and vengeful person inside?"

You tried to look confused, but I saw right through your mask. You enjoyed hurting me because you believed that I had wronged you and deserved it. I didn't.

A long time ago we had known each other better than anyone else. Now my hair is a different color and you wreak of cigarettes. You are a ghost of the man I knew. You are no longer a man, you are a monster.

As I looked at you, I searched for the man I knew in your tapping hands and averting eyes. For a second, I witnessed the softness in your eyes as tears welled up in mine. Like a switch, you turned it off. I wanted to pound on your chest and scream, "I hate you!". Instead I fell forward into your arms crying.

At first you didn't know what to do, but then like old times you wrapped your arms around me and nuzzled the top of my head with your cheek. I could hear the fear in your heart saying, "Don't let her get close to you, again. Leave! Push her away!, but you didn't listen. You held me and I stained your shirt with tears and snot.

When I finally had the courage to look up you were gone and even though I was dreaming I knew I had dreamt everything. I knew we would never talk to each other, again. This was your choice, not mine. It still hurts and it makes me wonder why it's so easy to forget me and move on because when I have truely loved someone it never leaves (even if I say it has).

I walked through the forest alone as rays of sunlight shot through the trees. The birds chirped and I could hear children playing in the background. After what seemed hours I heard a familiar voice call my name. I looked up and my brother was towering before me.

He said, "Come on Sis'. Let's go."

I walked ahead of him as the sunlight got so bright that the light was all I saw.