Mists of Monsters Lost

This book is dedicated to Laurie…

my best friend forever who I hope can see me from heaven and knows I will love her always…

keep your ice skates on, we will have our pond once more…

Preface

The letters I wrote to God long ago never seemed to be answered, but now as I recall, I think maybe they were really answered in his own mysterious way. I placed them in the trees, tall trees, small trees . pine trees, any tree which would hold my precious letters. I would come back after they had been there awhile and God would have had enough time to review them and I would sit quietly below the trees looking up through the thick clusters of leaves and listen. The sound of the wind would fill my ears and I could almost hear faint tiny voices through the rustle of the leaves as they moved back and forth against each other. I sat and waited and watched. The sun would filter through the leaves and splash down upon my face bathing me in warmth and peacefulness. I could forget for a time and close my eyes and pretend to be a fairy in the woods as the soft breeze and sun stroked my skin. I would imagine tiny sparkling flower petals floating from the trees, being caught up in small swirls, reflecting the sun and falling down around me. The woods were dense and the sunlight played tricks on your eyes as it glittered through at different angles. Trees swayed and the ground brush whirled about with the wind. Animals stirred about me as I sat as still as possible and admired the tranquility around me. This was my time, this was where I felt the safest and the happiest. The woods protected me now and were not threatening as I knew them to be years prior. I now embraced their hovering dark green bodies with their twisted brambles with sharp piercing thorns. The maze of paths one would easily become confused and lost in and the menacing howl of the wind as it whipped around and against the trees and through fallen tree trunks and slippery moss covered rocks. This was my sanctuary and this is where I waited for God’s answer. As the sun fell and the ground beneath me grew cooler, the woods took on new life. Standing, I spread out my arms, lifted my head and slowly spun waiting for the dizziness to take over, wondering how the ballerinas I watched on TV were able to spin so fast and not fall over. As my head began to swim and I stumbled, I grasped the trunk of the tree for support. I squinted against the wooziness I felt and focused on the piece of paper tucked within the branches above me. Should I climb back up and fetch my letter or leave it there as many before it? He is bound to find this one I thought. How many more do I need to leave for him? Is it possible that the rain has washed away the words from all the others and he cant read them? For this possibility, I will continue to come here and I will continue to wait and watch. Growing more weary I then fall to the dark earth, digging into it’s dampness, cool dirt and brush grasped in my tiny fists. I hold them out in front of me, tears slowly streaming down my cold cheeks as I again recite the Lords Prayer as I had thousands of times, squeezing my fists harder and harder as I near the end of the prayer. I open my eyes and hands slowly letting the dirt fall back to the earth, staring at the dark red impressions my nails have left on the insides of my tiny palms. I brush my hands on the side of my dress, stand up, smile up to the tops of the trees and know that this time might be it. Cold and darkness fall about me as I head back down the path which will lead me from my haven and land of enchantment, the space where time stands still….