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By Anonymous Submitted by misunderstood Date: 2003 May 29 Comment on this Work [[2003.05.29.17.39.12892]] |
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The Fence The plush green yards were separated by a solitary object. It appeared to be impenetrable, a solid wall of indifference closing off all that could show change or emotion. It's dull silver attempted to glisten in the weak winter sun, instead accenting it's dark gray shadows. The cold metal could be felt through sight, and feared to the touch. Holy it sat, as the last ditch defense against all that was right. Against happiness. It cared not who it affected, who it imprisoned, yet it continued to hold true to what it knew. It held out foreigners, lost souls and those who sought refuge. It was unbiased and cold. The fence existed. The two fought the wind to find a place of solace. One came from the North the other from the South. They both wore clothing that was torn and old. Their bland colors blended perfectly with their humdrum surroundings, making their person one of the environments. Their breath could be seen in the stagnate winter air, it's lame cold ripping through their rags and biting into their flesh. They knew nothing else for they had run and trampled through these conditions since they could remember. Thoughtless and unforgiving memories of the past tore through their soul like the frigid cold. Why not die here? Why fight the inevitable? There were no answers, just instinct. Both individuals drove forward, to what end they were unsure. Yet it called their name, individually to a shelter that could protect and hold. To a haven that would allow them to be whole. The first sight of the fence drew alarm and discomfort. It's foreboding presence stopped both individuals instantly. The sense of awe and fear ruptured their mind and spirit like a bullet through the bone. The wind from their running caught up with them and seemed to knock them into their reality. Their search for safety was over. Havens would not be found, rather death would search them out and lay their bones where they stood. Death had won. The cold steel of the fence had stopped their ability to advance to what their soul told them was safety. From what it told them would set them free from pain, exhaustion and emotional and physical death. Weakly, they simultaneously and ignorant of each other, collapsed. With death in their eyes, they separately gathered themselves to venture towards the fence. Apart not even one hundred yards, yet completely ignorant of the others existence, they blindly stared at the metal obstruction. All the while admitting defeat. The cold metal of the fence embodied its purpose, it coldly chose to drain the life out of the lost two. Cautiously he, the one from the South, touched the cold metal sentry. Expecting pain he quickly recoiled. With no pain to be found, he began to test the fence for its strengths and weaknesses. He grabbed the fence; it's cold biting into his uncaring fingers, he shook, kicked, and threw his body into it with all his might. The fence stood. She, the one from the North, felt betrayed by its presence. Her spirit told her that there was happiness where she was going, only to find this horrific obstruction. The blockade taunted her by allowing her to see the other side, while calmly stopping her advances. It was a tease, and she hated it for that. She didn't trust it's simplicity, for she knew there was something to it that could not be seen by the eye. She refused to step near it for she near with it there was pain, discomfort, hurt and possible death. She would rather die here alone and without more pain. It was the one from the South that noticed them first. The lilies, though out of season, littered the floor to his right. They were everywhere. Th lightly colored buds stuck out in the terrain like nothing he had seen before. He stopped from his violent struggle to question why he had never seen them. The scent was overpowering yet before now he was completely oblivious to their presence. Why? He stumbled towards them. They drew him like a new stream to a down hill crevasse. He could not stop, he had to see them, what better place to die. As she stared in despair she could not understand why the fence had been constructed. It had no purpose, goal or reasonable plan of construction. It was there only to continue her pain. She hated, until she saw the lilies. When the flowers penetrated her, she forgot the pain caused by her trip and the fence. She blindly rumbled towards them. What better place to die. Their eyes met. They stood for what seemed to be hours, if not days. They said nothing only stared. One on the other side the other on the one. They knew what they should do, but neither seemed to be the first to do it. Until the one from the South moved. He walked to the fence and placed his hands between the holes in the links. He then looked longingly to the one that stood opposite him, waiting for a response. Initially she did not move at all, rather stared in disbelief at finding one so trapped as she. Finally she moved. She strode to the fence and began to climb, using both his hands as stepping stones to traverse the fence. When she reached the highest of his hands, she grabbed hold of the fence rungs with all her might and waited for him to move. He struggled to pull his hands free from the slots, and once free, he climbed as high as he could and drove his hands into the gaps of the cold metal fence. On cue she used them again as steps to climb higher. The continued the process until she was to the top of the fence. The one from the North stopped when she had crested the impenetrable fence. Why is she doing this? What guarantee does she have that anything would be better on the South side of the fence. There were no signs of shelter, in fact the one from the South looked even more tattered than she. Why cross? Even with all the questions running through her mind and doubt coursing through her veins she decided to drop. He caught her. It was hard for him to do, being as damaged as he was, but he caught her. He wrapped his bloody hand around her as she fell, and felt some form of connection with her even though they had never spoken. He gentle placed her to the ground, in a feeble attempt to show some form of chivalry. Their eyes met. They connected. They became whole. They loved without word or action. They were pure and right. They both knew that they had to deal with the pains of their past, the uncertainties of the future and the underlying and inevitable fear of death, yet they were not alone. There was no magical sign of shelter and comfort, but at least now they won't have to search for it alone. They won't have to they found each other. They were not alone. They were together. They were one. |