Impermanence - Part Two

Turning around, she saw solid wall formed by the ivy she had breached through, and as she tried to take a step toward her only exit, her feet remained glued to the stone ground. She turned to the child who smiled and gestured her toward the fountain. She took a step forward, her feet magically unglued, and moved further into the depth of the mysterious park. Each step she took felt like she was wading through soft ground covered in cloudy water, as if the ground could turn to quicksand and swallow her up. A scream rose silently through her throat as she felt slime snake around her toes, its weedy claws caressing her feet. She treaded through the murky softness guided by the light of her umbrella and paws of the little child who held her fingers. Just before reaching their destination, her feet landed on her fear, a puddle of quicksand which quickly swallowed her.

Rosa lay flat on her back, her nightmare running as a vivid motion picture, frame by frame behind closed eyelids. She hugged her body and slowly opened her eyes to find them staring into blinding sunlight. A warm hand touched her forehead and she turned her gaze towards the angelic face beside her. She blinked once and then again, to adjust the haze that had covered her eyes, and tried to bring the face to focus. Her nightmare or was it a pathway to this bizarre dream and she was still living it to visit this heavenly being. She let the gentle hands guide her up and walk to a bench under a weeping willow. Rosa touched the woman’s silky, white hair, caressed her soft, coffee skin and continued to stare shamelessly, unsure of everything. 
 

Kissed by the flowing, leafy hair of the willow, Rosa listened to the soft lull of the woman’s voice as she revealed the nature of things. Trickles from the fountain reached her ears, the exact one she had seen with the child or was it the puppy?  Just as a whisper of wind embraced her cheeks, bringing with it fragrances unknown, Rosa recognized that this was not heaven nor earth, not planet nor star, not dream nor reality. A form sat next to her in the image of a woman, but she felt merged into the illusion. The woman was there, with her angelic face, love in her smile, warmth in her embrace, a woman with no story or label, nor perceived connection. Rosa accepted with an open heart in this formless association. Nature of things as in that moment were just as is, with nothing but overwhelming love.

To Be Continued...