We were walking for what seemed like hours when suddenly we stumbled into a large clearing. There were wildflowers growing in the grass, sage, rosemary and many more were scattered throughout the blades, the majority of them a nice light purple. Then I heard it. A small and faint sound came from somewhere farther into the meadow. We walked cautiously trying not to make too much noise, listening intently. It was a beautiful sound, such a beautiful sound that I my eyes began to tear. Whomever or whatever was making it was tortured. Tortured by something too deep to mentally fathom, a wound that would never heal. I knew that I couldn't cry. This must be how it did its killing. If I cried then I would have to close my eyes, and then... I didn't want to think about it.
We came up over a small hill and finally caught sight of it. At that moment It stopped. The weeping ceased and there in the middle of the field a good distance away stood a large structure on top of which the tombstone along with its guardian was clearly visible. It was an impressive structure. Past the tower we could see nothing but field for miles.
"Korey! halt yourself, stay your tears and listen to me. Whatever you do, do not blink unless I give you word." My voice was frantic and full of fear at this point, there was no hiding it. "If we are to live you must trust me entirely do you understand?"
"Hardly, Dante" His voice became equally distraught with fear and I realized that I needed to compose myself for both of our sake. "When can I blink?"
I hesitated for a moment, finally gaining control of my eyes, "Blink now." I said, regaining my determined and more hardy voice. But when you open your eyes keep them fixed upon the angel and wait for my signal to blink again."
"Aye." came the hesitant response.
We both let our eyes fix themselves upon the angel as I said one more thing, "Korey, you need to stay far from it but close enough to hear me. Does this make sense?"
"Not really, but I feel like I no longer have any option but to trust you, so do continue."
"Very well, like I said, keep your eyes upon that angel. Not even for one second can you look away or blink unless I give you word. If you do we will both die here like so many of the others before us."
"Okay, then what is the plan? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going up there..." I said it with as much courage as I could muster and started to move towards the tower quickly. I looked up at the angel and yelled back at Korey, "Blink!" I waited a second until I heard him respond with an all good and then continued, this time sprinting across the meadow through the flowers and grass as fast as I could. Again I stopped and looked up at the angel and yelled, "Blink!" again came the all good response.
This cycle repeated for a few more minutes as both of us advanced across the field towards the tower. When I reached the base I stopped. The angel was perched in such a manor that I would not be able to see it if I advanced any closer to the tower. I had seen this problem coming but had yet to think of a solution. Inevitably I was going to have to make a run for the top. It wasn't too tall, but my only concern was how long the climb would take, compared to how long Korey could keep his eyes open.
"Korey, you've done great so far but we have yet to scratch the surface of this challenge. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask a monumental favor of you." I was hoping that he wouldn't pick up on the doubt that registered in my voice. Apparently though, he had.
"Why do you still doubt me so much, Dante? We've made it this far have we not?"
"You're right, Korey. Forgive me, but I'm going to have to ask you to hold your eyes open for a much longer amount of time now. It may take me up to a minute to get up there or at least get within sight of the angel."
"Dante, at this point I've accepted the fact that we cannot turn back. We might as well give it a try. Am I right?"
"I couldn't have put it better, Korey." I hesitated, knowing he would want a moment of preparation and looked back up at the angel again telling him to blink. "Are you ready, Korey?"
"Yes, yes! Lets get going here now!"
"Okay, you know the drill. I'll take every second you can give me."
"Of course, Dante."
"Blink!" He blinked and I tore my eyes off of the statue making a dash for the entrance throwing the door open and finding the stairs. They spiraled up the walls of the tower along the inside, and without hesitation I few to them and began my way to the top. Only a view seconds had passed but they might as well have been an eternity. Each stair was another second that Korey fought the impulse to close his eyes and relieve himself of the burning that not even a hardened man could stand.
The top came into sight and I tried to throw open the large hatch blocking the way up but it was bolted down. I knew what I had to do. I closed my eyes and pictured the wooden hatch above me, concentrating all of my energy into my arm. Suddenly I released it, and as I envisioned myself punching through the wood and breaking it I felt the grains give in to the blow and crack. It hadn't broken it in two but I gave it one more try and that did it. The boards gave way to my fist and few up out of the hole onto the top of the tower. I climbed up out to the top just ask I heard Korey start to yell for me.
"Dante! Where are you!" His voice was panicked and doubtful. I turned and finally lay my eyes on the angel a few feet in front of me. then yelled,
"Blink, Korey!"
"Oh my eyes, Dante! My eyes!" He sounded as if he were sure he was going to keel over and die on the spot.
"I know Korey, I know! I yelled at him from the top of the tower, always sure to keep my eyes trained on the angel which was still in its original weeping position. What a success this had been.
"Can I ask you to watch the angel once more Korey?" I waited for a moment as my own eyes started to burn,
"Aye! I'm watching it!" was the response. I blinked and led myself to the front of the tomb. It was a beautiful structure, made entirely of marble and engraved with the words, "He who was to change the world, and she who couldn't have prevented it." However I didn't let myself delay, I fixed my eyes upon the angel once again.
"Blink!" the exchange was quick and I took up a position at the head of the tomb a few inches from the angel. "Korey, here is where you truly have no option but to trust me. I want you to look away. Close your eyes, distract yourself however you may please but do not watch the angel!" I was worried and surly it came across in my words but I could only hope that Korey would obey.
"Okay, Dante" His words had a hint of reluctance but the trust that had been constructed in the last few minutes was to deep for him to ignore.
When I could feel that Korey had looked away I prepared myself for the worst and lay a had on the angel's shoulder drawing myself close to it. Then I did what I was sure no one had ever done before... I closed my eyes.
The fact that I was still standing even just a moment after I had closed my eyes relieved me greatly. Every tense muscle in my body unwound itself and I calmed my nerves. I had been right. The I felt the angel move. It scared me at first but I was sure to keep my composure. I forced myself to remain calm and trust my original judgment. It seemed less and less threatening as I felt it hoist itself up from the head of the tomb and position itself standing in front of me. The I felt it.
All of the emotions inside the being welled up inside me as well, pure anguish and self loathing bubbled to the top of these and I was extremely tempted to break contact with the angels shoulder and lose my form but I didn't I waited for the angel to decide. It was still weeping and I could feel its tears fall upon my forearm. They burned like fire, full of sorrow and remorse, each and every one.
When it moved again this time I did not flinch. It took great caution in stepping closer to me and slowly embraced me as a child would its mother. The tears fell less frequently and I opened my eyes, looking out over the angels shoulder but not at it at all. That moment it was I who began to cry. I let out my own feelings. I let it absorb my sorrow and my pains. David, Amanda, Kyle, and all of the other whom believed me to be dead were all there, so close to me at that moment.
That was when I made the request I had come to make. No words ever passed between me and the angel, but I closed my eyes and turned as if to look it in the face pulling out of the embrace gently. I heard a loud noise of which I could not determine the origin. Then I felt something enter my hand. It was smooth and cold to the touch and a length of thread was attached to it. Then the angel ceased to weep entirely. Still having not opened my eyes I turned the object over in my hand. I was ever so curious as to what it was that I found myself longing to open my eyes.I waited however, until I heard the angel shuffle away and take up its position at the head of the tomb once more.
I opened my eyes. In my hand was a small, crystal vial containing a view drops of the substance I had come for. I put the brilliant golden thread around my neck and let the vial hang there. The tears warmed the vial when it shook softly. The angel was sitting at the edge of the tomb, no longer distraught with its horrible fate but looking lovingly down at the marble with its hand brushing the top as though it were a mother ruffling the hair of her infant. I sighed, finally at peace.
I turned to go and heard the strokes of the angel gently on the top of the tomb, and just as calmly as I could, made my way back down through the tower. When I came out of the open wooden door at the base I closed it softly and resisted looking back.
"Korey, are you well?"
"Yes, Dante. " He sounded relieved to hear my voice and I didn't blame him. I never would have been able to do what he did.
"We can go now." I said.
"wait? that's it?" he sounded astonished.
"Yes, Korey. We can go.
"What the hell just happened?"
"I'll explain later." I said.
"But I don't understand! How can we turn our backs on it now?" He tried to look over his shoulder but I stopped him and kept him walking forward through the grass. "Just trust me. She is at peace now."
He was hesitant but nonetheless continued to walk until we got to the edge of the forest once more. Then I turned and allowed him to ask the question again,
"So what the hell just happened, Dante? He was more intrigued then irritated.
"She trusts us... and I trust her..." I knew exactly what had happened, the entire exchange had taken place in my mind. The only two that would ever know were the angel and me, but I found satisfaction in the explanation I finally gave him,
"I forgave her..." The words never sounded like they were enough to describe what took place, and I dare say there are no words that could, but if anything could come close it was forgiveness...
