by Carolyn O'Brien

Created on: November 05, 2008

Wiping perspiration from his brow he took a long drink, pulled out the crumpled map and pawed over its sketchy directions. A stand of tall trees in a neat row proclaimed the entrance to what should be the Plateau of Review. And there they were, just metres away, a small miracle in Knud's opinion. For some reason he was suddenly elated, eager to get on. Crossing the boundary he registered a subtle difference in air quality and mood. A soft, luminous glow illuminated the area and Knud found it to be immeasurably soothing and caressing. It soon changed however, to a heavy, dragging fog that enveloped him, obliterating his vision. Trying to focus his eyes he could make out only a blurry, murky mist, but was unable to discern anything concrete.

Now his body was electrified with a piercing rush of adrenalin which was both thrilling and frightening.
Simultaneously, he felt himself swaying and then beginning to pulsate. The buzzing rose in intensity until he was vibrating like a tuning fork. Pressure filled his head to bursting, its crown both inside and out fiercely tingling.
Logical thoughts still fought to prevail even in such an illogical environment and Knud registered fear, excitement and confusion in quick succession, and then an odd thought struck.
It was that these sensations felt just the same as being born. This revelation, while he knew it to be true was baffling since Knud had no conscious memory of his physical birth, and yet here it was, duplicated, and stirring in him something deeply held and familiar.

He felt himself lunge forward, almost falling on his face, and threw his arms out for balance, noticing his hands were thin and pale. He could see more clearly now and swung back to determine what had thrown him. His own eyes stared back at him, his body seemingly suspended, quivering where he had left it. Mesmerized, he looked again at his hands which disintegrated before his gaze, leaving only pale stumps. Alarming though it was, Knud was compelled to watch one body while inhabiting another. He placed the stumps against himself and could feel sensation with his fingertips. It all appeared normal. Not only was he whole but decidedly healthy, not even hungry anymore and imbued with a serenity which was singularly pleasant, even ecstatic.
The body he had jumped from was his there was no question, but viewing it from this

perspective Kund was oddly detached, as if it belonged to a stranger and it's fate was of little consequence.

He faced away to scan his surroundings.

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