Freedom

Was it a dream? Maybe. What is a dream anyway? Hope,

fear and fantasy interwoven so closely that it is impossible to tell
them apart? Are the raindrops softly ticking against the window a
dream too? Tears of a weeping spirit? Should there be a line
between fantasy and reality, and if so why? There is no reality.
There is no fantasy. There is only here. Now. Life.
Jiol quietly climbed the stairs to her room; leaving behind the
trailing sound of her mother who was explaining a friend that she
didn't understand her daughter, that Jiol was a dreamer, had her head
in the clouds. As the door clicked close behind her Jiol realized she
was alone again. It was a cold thought that made her shiver as if
somebody had plates of ice in her neck and drops of freezing ice
water were seeping down over her spine. Some boys had done that
once as a joke she remembered, long ago. It didn't matter. Looking
through the rainwet window of her small room she saw the fading
light of a setting sun reflected on the snowcovered landscape, and
she smiled. Today would be the day. In her mind she could see them
already: galloping over the snowy fields and dodging the age-old
pines. The ice of her loneliness melted with the gentle warmth of her
smile. She could hear their irresistible call.If you are a teacher reading this,
your student copied this story from my website and didn't reread it after pasting it. What a
shame.
As darkness fell she sat motionless on the floor, her arms
wrapped around her legs, a fragile smile on her lips and the joy of
freedom in eyes that kept the window in their relentless stare. She
had sat there before without the smile and with eyes colored by
doubt and sadness but now there was neither - nor fears or
uncertainty - only a smile.
She didn't make any light, she wouldn't need any; for her eyes
there was enough light to see by. She felt as if she was sitting on a
tapestry of light and in her mind saw a layer of it surround her,
clinging close and keeping the darkness away. No she wouldn't need
a light, she knew the way. After years of searching she had finally
found it by embracing her dreams and when she did had realized
she'd always known where to find it. She was a dreamer, but what
were dreams? Her mother had been right: she didn't understand.
Jiol's smile widened for a second, her eyes for a moment losing their
focus as she shyly bowed her head and looked inwards. She had
always done that when a happy or funny thought struck her.
When she saw the rising moon through the little window she
stood up and looked at her room one last time while turning a full
circle. Her smile brightened. No regrets.
She opened the window and climbed through, hardly noticing
the streaming rain. She jumped from her attic room and floated
down so gently that she made no print in the snow when she softly
touched the ground. She knew the path and she would walk it, she
had heard their call.
The forest wasn't dark at night, it only seemed dark to those
who refused to see the glowing pixies playing around, laughing
softly with the whispers of the wind. Jiol walked the path, followed
its magical trail through the forest. When she reached the right spot
she sat down, picked up the silvery flower somebody had left for her
and wove it into her hair. A glowing pixie fluttered around her head
before landing on her outstretched hand. It was holding a berry with
both hands and nibbled at it without looking up at her. Jiol just
smiled and sighed contently. Together they sat there, Jiol and the
pixie, neither speaking a word but still sharing a lifetime of
understanding, their voiceless words carried by the strength of
silence. There was no need to talk, they knew why they were there
and waited together.
Finally they came, Jiol could hear from afar the silence of
their approach. Not a single leaf rustled as the forest held its breath
for their arrival. Jiol could see the first - gracefully avoiding the
trees in its run, going this way and that - come ever closer. More
joined and the sound of hooves echoed through the forest. The great
white unicorns running, galloping towards her, around her, narrowly
avoiding her in their natural paths like a turbulent white river
flowing around her. Neither Jiol nor the pixie looked up when they
came, neither moved when they ran around them, they just smiled.
The pixie nibbled on the berry and looked content, Jiol radiated
inner joy and peace.
Finally, when the herd had almost passed, Jiol raised, holding her
arm out for the pixie to fly away. Then she turned, her mysterious
smile widened once again as she cast her eyes down for a moment,
then she jumped and ran with the unicorns, and was never seen
again.