Imagine

I.
Imagine yourself in your finest long dress, me in a coal black tuxedo. We find ourselves alone in a forest. I take your hand and we begin our eternal dance. For we are just ghosts, our figures glowing through the branches, floating through my memory.

II.
Have we been here that long? The night has been all that we have known. But on the horizon I can see it: a glimmer of light. The day has begun. And as we continue our endless rhythmic movements I know she has seen it too. For the first time in ages I lift my head from her shoulder and search for her eyes. My soul is aflutter as her eyes approach mine. I search for a smile I have not seen in millennia, but all I see is a vacant stare. I am not prepared for what happens next. The pressure in my hand, the only thing making me complete these thousands of years, begins to fade. She lets go. So I fall. Through the earth, dragged down faster and faster, to a place of unimaginable fire. I curl myself as tightly as possible, trying to protect myself. Then I explode. The wings sprout from the anguish inside me. I glide above the huddled masses, beginning my reign over my new domain as I observe the pain and suffering below.

III.
It took but a few brief years to recover, to finally stop observing and try to join the hopeless creatures below me. It was not until then that I realized I was truly alone. Millions upon millions of bodies surrounding me, but yes, I was alone. For they could not see me. I would touch them, they would feel nothing. All I could do was search their faces, for each had a different expression, a different reason for being here. So I wandered, and time became as nothing.

IV.
No! It could not be her! Why would she be here?! But my greatest fear was realized, for truly, I had never been wandering. I had been searching. I scoured myself for the reason she would be exposed to this suffering when I finally recognized it on her face. Regret. All these years I wanted to believe it, but couldn’t. But now I could finally see it. She never wanted to let go, but she thought she was keeping me from the light. And as my tears turned to steam on the brimstone ground I knew she would never know I was there. But I had to try. So I took her hand, held her close and resumed our endless dance. Again I was not prepared for what happened next. All I felt was a slight squeeze at my hand and everything became bathed in white. Coolness, a feeling I had nearly forgotten. As things became clearer I began to see figures around me. But no, not figures, but friends and family, all beaming to finally see me. And I looked to the lovely figure in front of me. She seemed as if waking from a dream. And when her eyes met mine I was finally gifted the thing I had waited so long to see. The most beautiful, loving smile I have ever seen.