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Tracks, a short story: Part 16

March 30, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

I can feel the pull. I am aware of where I am but have no control over my movements. One step after another I keep moving forward, seemingly unable to stop. All I can see are trees, straight trunks rising all around me. The snow is sparse here, although when I brush against a tree I sometimes get a small deposit on my head.

After I have seemingly been walking forever I come to a clearing. The snow is thicker here, although there seems to be a mound of grass in the centre which is green and almost flowing with life.

Once my eyes focus on the grass the pull becomes even stronger and now I am almost running towards the rising. Once I am there I come to a sliding halt, as if it is surrounded by a force field. But the urge is now in my heart, I want to touch that lush green. But my feet are locked in place.

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Tracks, a short story: Part 15

March 26, 2024March 26, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

I wasn’t expecting to see anything too impressive in the mirror. After all, I spent the night in the forest and most of today running around town. Not to mention the blow to the head which I received, but this is more than tiredness.

I look as if life has been drained out of me. I return to the living room, suddenly not caring so much about the shower. I need to get my head around this somehow.

What happened to me in the forest? Was I underground, or was it just a dream? I should return and find out, but the thought makes my skin crawl.

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Tracks, a short story: Part 14

March 20, 2024March 18, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Until now I had been able to vaguely convince myself that I was imagining all of this. But now I know that I am wide awake and this is real.

My bus soon arrives and the bus driver appears uncomfortable with me boarding, but I have the money so he lets me pass. I take my seat, and thankfully the bus only has another couple of passengers on board. I am seated at the rear, as far away from anyone else as is possible.

I feel tired, so tired. My entire being seems to yearn for sleep, or maybe more than sleep.

I tell myself to snap out of it, “We’ll have no more thoughts like that.”

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Confusion, a short story

March 19, 2024March 19, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

What did she want? I seem to spend almost all of my life trying to work this out, should it be such a puzzle? This whole relationship thing could just be beyond me.

When it started it was all love and lust. Of course things change, they always do. I am just not sure what this has become now.

I don’t want to give up on things, but there has to come a time when that decision has to be made.

I would just feel like such a fool if I finished things and there could have been a simple solution which I was missing. Part of me thinks that I should go with the flow, while another says to be a man and make the break.

Am I happy? That has to be the main question and the answer to that is no. I am spending half my time stressing about what to do next and the rest of the time on eggshells. That in itself should give me the answer. The only thing to do is talk, explain how I feel, and see what she says. Then it will, somehow, resolve itself. Let’s do this!

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Tracks, a short story: Part 13

March 18, 2024March 18, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

I have to get away from them, Leah is in danger as long as I am around her. I also need to try and sort out what the hell is going on with me. What happened in the forest? And what is it with these birds?

I have to stop running in the end, I am totally out of breath and my head is killing me. Whatever hit me left a major bump on the back of my head and it is throbbing. Luckily there was only a small amount of blood which soon stopped.

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