#VisDare 121 : Tethered

I peered into the crack in the wall, I could see something beyond, I knew something was there. Others in reality watched me peering into the crack. “One does not look into the crack!” Always they told me, “One does not look!” and “You can’t do that!” Soon, everyone I knew told me the same thing, how I needed to fix that crack. “If that crack grows, it can become dangerous!”

I let the crack grow. Each day, it grew a little more. A little deeper, a little wider.

Soon, people stayed away from the crack, and from me. And when I looked at them tethered, tied, bound to their places, anchored to the ground, unable to walk around, unable to explore the small world of reality. I saw them all turn away from the crack, ignoring it, hiding it from their sight.

I saw them afraid. Uncomfortable. Disturbed.

149 Words
@LurchMunster

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Part 2 of a story I’m writing for Angela Goff’s Visual Dare. Please read the other entries in this week’s Visual Dare challenge. Be amazed at the magic people can put into 150 words or less.

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You Have No Idea How Dangerous You Are To Me

I told her.
I warned her.
She didn’t understand.
I almost turned
And walked away.

But I didn’t.
I stayed.

I told her.
“You have no idea
How dangerous you are
To me.”
She laughed.
“I’m not dangerous at all.”

She didn’t understand.
Didn’t understand
At all.

But I knew.
I knew if I let her through
The defenses I’d built.
The walls I’d made.
The protections I’d put in place.
To keep the world
Safe from me.

Those protections,
Those walls,
Would crumble.
And fall.
And everyone would see
Me.

And I knew.
I knew.
That would not end well.

I also knew
The only way to keep her out.
Was to walk away.
To never speak with her
Again.

So, I had to make a choice.
I had to decide.
Protect the world from me.
Or let myself
Have a friend.
Protect the world from me.
Or let her through
My defenses.
Let her in.

I let her in.

I did not walk away.

And the walls,
They fell.
And left me revealed.
To everyone.

And yeah.
That did not go well.
That did not go well
At all.

See.
I’m emotional.
I am.
Hot headed.
Caring.
Feeling.
Tender hearted.
And wide awake.

I know what’s real.
And what’s not really there.

I care for those around me.
For my friends.
And the work I do?
It doesn’t matter at all
When a friend’s hurting,
Or in need.

And you know what?

There’s nothing wrong with that.
There’s nothing wrong with me.

Except that who I am.
The things I feel.
And the strength
Of my emotions.
Scares people.
Makes them uncomfortable.
Makes them nervous.

You have no idea
How many in this life
Can’t cope with that.

They put me away.

Even her.

Yeah.

I warned her.
I told her.
“You have no idea
How dangerous you are
To me.”

She didn’t understand.

I suppose I could have said
“If I let you in,
Who I am inside,
Beneath all the lies,
The walls,
And imagery,
I present to the world,
To keep the world
Safe from me,
Will come out.
All those walls
Will fall.
And who I really am
Will show.
And everyone
Will get rid of me.”

And perhaps,
If I’d said that,
She might have understood.

But it wasn’t her choice.
Wasn’t her decision.
It was my choice to make.
Let her in.
Or keep her away.

I let her in.

And there was hell to pay.

And I’d make that same choice
Again today.

And walk through hell
Once more.

#VisDare 24 : Mastermind

As we sat at the table, a man I’d never seen walked in. He wore glasses, but the lenses were clocks. Alice stood and bowed. “Mastermind. What brings you here?” I heard in my head.

The man looked at me, “Him.”

Alice nodded. “Taran. Mastermind has questions.” Then she quickly added, “He is our leader. He sees things none of us do.”

I stared at him. “You are dangerous,” his thoughts echoed in my head.

I laughed. “I don’t trust you.” I felt him in my mind. Searching for something. “Get out,” I thought, and I threw him out.

Mastermind looked at me. Alice stepped between us, “Please, sir. Please. He’s different.”

He smiled. “I know Alice.” The hands of the clocks on his glasses moved. I heard his voice in my head, “She needs you. Take care of her, please,” as he spoke to Alice, “I have my answers.”

150 Words

@LurchMunster

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This is part 20 in the continuing story I’m working on for Angela Goff’s Visual Dare. Please read the other entries in this week’s Visual Dare challenge.