Close My Eyes

I made my way deep into the forest. It felt like even the trees could sense the confusion and anger battling in my heart. Leaves rustled as I walked to my lookout tree. I knew that if I waited here then I would be able to calm down enough to do what I had vowed. Remove my blindfold.
Except I couldn't bring myself to do it. After so long, being in the dark was I ready to see the light? My emotions fought each other as I tried to decide. What was I supposed to do? I sat there until the sun began to dip into the sky. When a deer rushed through I made no move to shoot it, when the birds called over head I didn't answer them. Instead I sat with my knees pulled to my chest as my body refused to betray my mind.
"I don't know if I can." I whispered an edge to my voice.
Deep inside though I knew I had no choice. I had to know!
The air cooled around me and I reached back with trembling fingers. Swiftly I undid the knot that held my blindfold in place. When it was undone I reached back and slid the soft fabric off my eyes. I had closed them and for a few seconds as the cloth rested in my lap I kept them that way.
"I have to know." I said out loud to give myself courage.
Then very slowly I opened my eyes. For a second all I saw was darkness and I thought maybe I was wrong. But then something moved. I watched spellbound as a bird soared past me and did a few loops in the air. It was magical. Turning slowly I saw the leaves in the trees around me. They were a bloom of colors ranging from crimson to gold. Everywhere I looked there was something new to see, it was so beautiful. Then carefully I looked down at my hands. They were pale as the light shining down on me, I had blisters from where I had dragged the deer yesterday, but other then that they were unmarked. My hair hung past my shoulders and I saw it was black that made me think of the night. I looked up at the sky and the first thing I saw was the moon. It was so large and beautiful that I barely had time to think before a cloud covered it. How could something like that existed. It was amazing.
"I never thought . . . ." I started to say as I stood up.
I looked down and saw a rabbit skitter across the fallen leaves. A fox chased after it the colors of it's fur standing out against the dirt. Carefully I climbed down the tree when I set foot on the ground it felt like I was doing it for the first time. Even though I could now look around me and see everything I still felt the movement through the earth. When I felt horses hoofs beating on the ground I turned back towards the way I had come from hours earlier. An orange glow began to leak through the trees. I knew what it was even before I started running. Fire.