Standing on the edge of a cliff both literally and figuratively. He peered out across the horizon. Above him nothing but the clear blue sky, below him the vast ocean, and behind him the thick forest trees. If he turns back into the trees he is met with life face to face. As he watches the ocean he feels only the calming silence of the crashing waves. He hears the distant calls from those fighting to get his attention… His heart… His soul…

Without question without care he turns to face the ocean and with arms spread he stepped off the edge. He fell as if floating and then suddenly broke through the blanket of water and submerged himself in the cool wet bed of water. As he held his breath and looked around there was beautiful life all around him. He swam staying fully submerged for as long as he could. But being only human he couldn’t stay in this world forever.

just as he was beginning to swim to the surface he felt a pull on his leg. When he looked down he was face to face with an exotic beauty… long black flowing hair… deep chocolate-brown eyes… rosy red lips… And the softest milky skin he had ever seen. But where her legs should have been… A fin… Mermaid? It couldn’t be… Was he dreaming? Had he drowned?

His eyes closed and he drifted away. When he opened them again he was on his back on the hard rocks at the bottom of the cliff. As he gazed into the sky above the distant clouds were passing slowly as if crawling through the sky. He allowed himself a few more stolen moments to dream of a distant land where his life was his own before turning to the cliff and beginning his long climb back to reality.

(c) Copyright Soden, Nina 2011