Tight Rope Walking
My bare feet rest lightly on the wire, I’m not sure how I got here but, I know where I am.
I’ve walked this wire hundreds of times before without stumbling, without falling yet, this time, something just seems off.
One step, two step
My feet know the pattern, each stepping around the other, not too slow or all balance is lost or too fast lest you trip.
Six step, seven step
Almost halfway and something is and something is horribly wrong, and I can’t put my finger on it.
Then, I make the mistake, I know better, anyone who does what I do should know better.
I look down.
Such a simple thing, it shouldn’t matter right?
Such small things always seem to be the most worrisome.
For when I looked, I didn’t see the ground, of course not, that would be too simple.
When I looked down I saw nothing but black, an all consuming, light murdering, black.
Back to walking, it shouldn’t bother me.
Eight step, nine step
I’ve done this hundreds of times before.
Hundreds of times.
Ach, it’s creeping on the edge of my mind.
What if I fall?
It’s just morbid curiosity.
Eleven step, twelve step
Almost there but, I can’t think I can’t pay attention the black just bothers me so.
A slowed gait, a faltered step, and there I fall into that black, that hungry consuming black.
Then and there I awake light peeping through my window both real and warm and the blackness but, a memory.
~Himi Firestarter
