I open my eyes to another day. Devoid of joy and hope. Last nights dream still playing in my head. I look into his eyes, My friend's eyes, so soft and gentle.

Then right before me they change. A swirl of black encloses me as I watch the happenings before my very eyes. First the eyes turn blood red, the face I knew so well transforms into the face of a hideous beast. Wanting to devour me whole. The teeth so sharp: and behind them lays a forked tongue. He spits lies one after another. I do not know weather to believe him or the friend that I once saw there. I try to close my eyes to block out this transformation.

I tell myself this is not real, this is only an illusion concocted by some cruel wizard. Trying to scare me away from the person I trust. I sit in the middle of the blackness, my knees pulled up to my chest. Sobs escaping through my clenched teeth. My hands are now sweating, clutching to hold on to something. The fear I feel is too strong. I open my eyes and the beast is still before me. He grabs my leg trying to pull me down. I scream but nobody hears me. I come to realize that I must save myself.

I look around for something, anything that can help free me. Out of the corner of my eye I see a stick lying a few inches from me. I grab for it. Caressing it against my chest I turn to the beast. I let out a loud cry and go charging at him with the stick. I hit him in the head and he falls.

I start to run, moving as fast as my feet will carry me. I see a light up ahead, this must be a good sign. As I press on I can hear voices coming from the outside. The voices are calling me. Begging me to come to them, offering me help and support.

I turn to look behind me and only a few feet away stands the friend that I knew. No longer a beast, but a man. The warm welcoming eyes are there before me once again. I can still hear the voices calling me. I ignore them and move closer to him. His hands reach out for me, I close my eyes and sink into his embrace.

The voices I heard are now crying. I don't understand why. Once again I open my eyes, at that moment fear fills me. I am no longer in his embrace but I am looking out from inside a coffin. Everyone around me is crying. I try to speak but no sound comes out . I try to move but I find that I am stuck inside.

At this moment I wake from my dream. Sweat clinging to my body. I am shaking with tears, fear clutching inside me. I shake my head trying to make sense of it all. At that moment I realize what I must do. It is time to say good-bye to those things that I felt brought me security, It was always a false sense they gave. So with a wave of my hand I say good-bye and move on to the next chapter of my life.

Copyright 2001