Music

I was lost. Hopelessly
lost. The forest in the setting sun
had looked beautiful and
colorful.
The leaves falling and rustling
orange, yellow and red.
But night had fallen fast, and
now in the moonless night
I couldn't make out my
surroundings. I was sure
I had been stumbling and groping
about for an eternity, but
it was suddenly apparent to me
that the trees and foliage
I had been encountering
were no longer inhibiting my
path.

I concluded that I wasn't in a forest
but an open field. The overcast sky
could not aid my vision. Then,
in the distance, I saw it: a small flame,
a flicker!
In my excitement
I ran toward it stumbling. Now
I heard something, a low
moan, but it was rhythmic, almost
melodious.


I stopped-- listening, watching. The light
was a fire. I crept closer, my eyes
intent upon the flame.
Then I noticed the shadows
dancing about me. I was not close
enough to see that these
shadows were made by stone columns
connected at the top by another stone
slab.


These were fixed in a circle around the
fire. The moaning had gotten
much louder and I looked around. Opposite
me, across the fire was a forest, that
is where the sound came from.
Then a figure emerged, then another
and yet another. I hid behind a pillar
to observe. Slowly a procession of robed
and hooded men entered the circle, four
of them carrying a large ragged
bundle.

As they chanted they
lifted it, higher, higher
over the fire. The chanting
stopped suddenly as they released it and
it caught the flame. Then the odor
hit me. Like
nothing I have ever smelled.
It made me ill. I started to gag. Then
a hooded man turned
toward me.
Even though I was fully in shadow
I felt he was looking right at me. Then I saw
his eyes--
red, glowing.
Those eyes sent a tremor of terror
through me.

I
was
suddenly
running, stumbling,
groping and then falling. My
head hit a hard, sharp object and all was
black.

1995