by Vicki Brown

Created on: July 07, 2009

I am standing on the edge of a large city. As far as the eye can see there are lights. Lights from homes and stores, offices and restaurants all filled with people. People with places to go, things to do, and friends and families to be with.

My back is to the city. I am facing a dark barren land that stretches out in front of me. There are no signs, no directions, no familiar landmarks, no one to show me the way. But I must go into the darkness. I must leave the familiar behind and go forward to a new place. But I am afraid. I don't know what I will find in the darkness. Will I find happiness? Will I find true love? Or will it be the same disappointments in a different place?

I won't know until I get to where I'm going. But where am I going? How will I know when I get there? Fear fills my heart and makes me feel heavy, unable to move. How do I begin? Do I take one step and then another and another? How do I know in which direction I should go?

Wait, I see a faint bit of light ahead. I walk toward it but it flashes off and I am, once more, in the darkness. What do I do now? I continue to walk in the direction of the light. I'm stumbling on things, rocks or sticks I don't know. I can feel them but I am afraid to touch them. Now I'm disoriented. Which way was the light?

Hot tears fall down my face. What am I supposed to do? Where do I go? Isn't there someone who will help me? Silence. Absolute silence. No birds or insects chirping or small animals crackling as they skitter across the ground.

Helloooooooo, I call. Nothing. Not even an echo. I yell louder, anyone out there? Help! Someone please help me. There's the light again. I quickly pull myself together and keeping an eye glued to the light, I head out. It lasts longer but not long enough. I hear something and turn my head toward the sound. Nothing.

That small movement has caused me to be disoriented again. Which way was the light? That way? No, no, the other way. I walk down the middle hoping I'll see the light. I walk for what seems forever. I'm tired, hungry, thirsty, and frustrated. But, mostly, I'm scared. Do I dare sit down? What is on the ground? Could I sleep? I hadn't seen any animals, but then, I hadn't seen anything. I haven't walked in any water or heard the sound of a brook babbling.

So many things that I always took for granted. Water at the touch of a button. A clean soft warm bed at night. Food in the cupboards and refrigerator. Lights, so many lights in every room. How did I get to this

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