Eyes affixed, vellus hair on their toes, heart thumbing in an irregular rhythm. I could feel its piercing gaze as I stood still behind an old oak tree with my eyes tightly shut hoping it would let me be but no, it just would not. It began to whisper.
I shut my eyes tightly and shielded my ears from its creeping whisper with my hands pressed tightly on both ears. All I could hear was my heart beat running insanely, and my chaotic thoughts: “Is it gone? No it’s not. Maybe it’s really gone… I doubt. Damn I can’t be here forever, have to make a move”.
I dropped my hands and opened my eyes slowly. Nothing, piercing silence had raided the atmosphere. I looked around and all I could see was a bare landscape and the lone oak tree at the middle, behind which I hid. I could see a gate at one end and at the other was the sea merging with the sky. It was twilight and its reflection on the water looked magical.
“How do I escape without it noticing me?”, I pondered, and dove deep into my mind for a solution, only to hit a base of shallowness. All I could think about was running to the gate. “I’ll be protected there”, I thought.
I couldn’t possibly run towards the sea. Though there was a boat strapped at the bank, it was too exposed, no protection. I was trapped in freedom.
I looked back and forth from the gate to the twilight, took an unevenly deep breath, bent slightly, leaned forward, ready to begin the race.
“It’s not so far, I just have to…” I froze.
The eye, its whisper, my stomach churned as I felt its warm touch freeze my bones. Fear. It wouldn’t let me go.
“Let me go, let me go!”
My mind rampaged as I broke free and began the race. I looked back intermittently to check the gaps. It moved fast with such gusto. I ran with no dignity, picking up stones and sticks and throwing them at my pursuer. It got closer to me as I got closer to the steel gate which 10 feet high and 7 feet wide. At both ends were walls 2 feet lower than the gate itself that stretched to a point I couldn’t get a clear image of, almost as if it had no end.
It was slightly ajar.
I looked back and forth, it was close, so close and I was almost there, nearly, just a few more steps, I stretched out my right arm towards the gate, almost… Suddenly I felt it brush my shoulders but it wasn’t fast enough. My hand finally touched the gate and in seconds I was in with the gate shut.
I was panting heavily as I let out a loud cry of victory. I stood behind the gate facing it directly now that I felt safe.
It was suspended in the air, just an eye yet I felt like it spoke, like it touched me, like it had a mind of its own. It had such strong aura around it. It kept staring and I kept staring too but now with fascination. Its pupil was dilated, hazel iris, it was…
BOOM!
I turned sharply, the sound came from behind. What was that?
And that was when I noticed my environment. It was dull, cold, misty. I turned sharply to my right as I heard an animal growl. ‘to-whoo’ I turned sharply again, an owl? ‘Creak!’ I tried swallowing saliva to lubricate my mouth.
Then I began to hear bricks crumbling. I looked closer to get a clear vision. Buildings were crumbling one after the other, and as the wave of destruction got closer and closer, the dust from the crumbles made me sneeze.
“What is happening? Where am I?” I had run into this place and locked myself in absentmindedly. What do I do?
I looked back at the eye. It was still there watching me. It had this strong soothing aura around it. I couldn’t look away; I was beginning to understand. Just an eye yet I felt its touch, heard its voice and saw it move. It seemed like it was trying to speak to me, it looked concerned like it… like it cared??
Goodness, I’m going crazy! How can an eye care about me? But it did.
I began to understand now, it all made sense. It wasn’t chasing me to hurt me, it wanted to help. I struggled in futility with the gate to let myself out. I banged, pushed, kicked, screamed, all futile. The only thing in progress was the crumbling of the buildings and darkness spreading its wretched hands quickly with a grin.
“What have I done?” I thought painfully.
“I tried to tell you,” it spoke. “I tried to warn you but you kept running. I wanted to remind you that we were once friends but you seemed like you had absolutely no recognition of me. I wanted to tell you that I cared a lot about you and warn you of the danger ahead but you didn’t give me the chance. I whispered my name to you hoping you’ll remember me but you blocked your ears…”
I looked back at the real evil, it was close now, very close.
“But it’s too late now, you’ve gone too far and I don’t know if I can bring you back. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to remind you of who I am. My name is sanity”.
There’s nothing sane about sanity, I thought. For goodness sake this was an eye talking to me! It’s just an illusion created by our minds.
“I’m sorry”, it said.
Then darkness engulfed me.
Uyi Oriarewo
dimiyei 