A Glass Thought

I doubt there are many who can say that they’ve found their soul by moonlight. How many of this generation have allowed their feet to lead them, step by step, along railways and alleys of silence? There is nothing to be valued more than solitude; these moments of lost thought, without which life’s meaning would be lost in the tedious monotony of our everyday tasks. How ironic that life should be lost within itself.

Kicking loose stones from beneath her feet, she moved absently along the railroad tracks. After all, there is no true reason to know which direction your feet move in, as long as your heart knows where to go to be happy. At least, this is what she believed.

Sighing as she stared at the stars, times like these she wished she had someone to talk to, or at least someone to listen. Does everyone have these thoughts? Maybe somewhere, there are others walking down lonely country rails while crickets excite the night air and the moon conjures long shadows from the trees.

Before more thoughts could race and cycle up from the depths of her mind, a bright light ripped across the sky, leaving a scar of white. She watched and waited to for it to burn out in the upper atmosphere, but it did not. It coursed closer and closer to the earth.

What thoughts go through the head of those who see death upon them? A large asteroid destroyed the dinosaurs, and it seemed that despite all the advancements mankind has made, that history would once again repeat as part of life’s ultimate lesson: Learn from the past.

Immediately, she wished someone was here with her, that there was someplace she could go and hide, somewhere safe. A tragedy it is when a moment of freedom is torn apart, and grown women turn into little girls, crying for the safety of their beds. She let the fear wash over her and accepted the inevitability of what was coming.

A serene sense of calm moved through her body in a strong wave, and fear was a memory. What came next were tears; her life flashed before her:

The birth of her little brother... Christmas when she was nine, the year the got Sweet Kitty... Mom... Dad... a week ago, the first time Jared said "I love you".... the way she always pictured her wedding....

Angelica held her eyes closed, and waited.

Nothing happened.

What are the thoughts of the dying, or perhaps the already dead? What is that magnificent feeling of finality in all things? Like standing on top of the world, then freefalling into the ocean where you stay holding your breath for three whole minutes.

For three whole minutes, she stood there, eyes shut, mind frozen on fragmented thoughts of confusion and grace. After an eternity, she opened her eyes to find not a scorched landscape of Armageddon, but the same trees, the same moon, the same tracks leading towards city lights. The only difference was the small raccoon that had found its way across her path and was sniffing discreetly at select items hidden in the shadows. She thought of Sweet Kitty again, and smiled a little.

What do we know of this place; this life? Inside great cities or rural towns where so much of our time is spent in rush and worry and then we drown out the rest of it beneath the lights and sounds of a television set. Maybe if we rid ourselves of television and radio, then things would change. How would America spend it’s time? Perhaps it would invest in sports, hobbies, and thought. Could the next Renaissance be spawned simply by eliminating our greatest waste of time?

No matter, these are the thoughts of lonely girls on country rails, while stars whipcrack the sky….

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Chris Miller

Hey Glass

Nice soft reflective, youngish philosophical piece. Pretty well written too. Not overwrought. Poetic at times. I like the softness of the “end of the world” that never materializes. Just, what if… This is the theme I think, and the scene could be expounded on a bit more maybe. What would go through her mind at this time? Not emotionally, that’d be boring, but specifically, memories, expectations, etc.

A few typos:

“which direction you feet move in”
your

“A tragedy it is when a moment of freedom is torn apart…”
Reads a bit the way Yoda talks. Probably a typo?

“A serene since of calm…”
sense

“holding your breathe”
breath

“Maybe if we rid ourselves of television and radio, then things would change. How would America spend it’s time? Perhaps it would invest in sports, hobbies, and thought.”
This is just a little preachy and simplistic to my ear. Also, don’t forget the internet.

“No matter, these are the thoughts of lonely girls on country rails, while stars whipcrack the sky….”
Beautiful ending! Love the word you’ve created: “whipcrack.”

Curious that you’ve written this from a female perspective. There is a distinct male-ness to this and all that I have read of yours, but that’s hard to pin down.

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A Glass Thought

Chris,
Thanks for enjoying it. I got the idea when I saw my own shooting star. The bastard was huge and I was half convinced it would hit the ground.

I've revised it some. The corrections have been made and even a lttle bit of personal memories have been added. Yeah, the part at the end is a tad preachy, but that's probably why it cuts off after that. That way it doesnt become the center of the story. The last sentence even discredits it as whimsical thought, as it begins with "No matter...."

Just hope more people care to put in their advice and critiques.

have a great day
Glass

__________________
"You have confused the true and the real." -George Stanley

I am worth $2,288,562 on HumanForSale.com