Half the Story

A new season, new thoughts, new feelings greeting one when they walk out the door and breathe in deep, the air that chills in the morning and chills more at night. And walking once the sun is down I still look wearily at the edge of the woods, and feel my heart within my chest. I’ve always been afraid of the dark, but more afraid of the monsters created in my mind that lurk in it. I recognize the burning in the fear, the speed of the heart, the quickening of the breath. I know the tensing of my muscles is similar… I can’t help but notice. Wet lips, widen eyes, run away and then laugh deep from your belly.

Take off your clothes and crawl into bed beneath an open window, watching the wind move the treetops from a second story perch. Last night a chill sunk deep down into my body, until I quaked and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to protect my tongue from my teeth and praying for it to end. There was no rationalizing with muscles as they shook, breath and sense would not have them. Then as suddenly as it struck, it ended.