Darksome Reality

Chapter One

What causes people to believe that their own reality is distinct from that of others? That question was pondered by most people, but only a few knew the solution. To hear two distinct tones, use the same pick and equal intensity on two different diameter guitar strings. Each of us is a little bit unique, just like those two strings. Each of us reacts differently to the same stimuli based on our personal history, where we've been, and what we're experimenting with. Perception is a function of our identity. Throw a little rock into the water, for example? Everyone's experience with the outcome will be unique.

No one is in direct contact with all of reality. As best as we can through the fog, we see only slivers of it. We can only see a piece of reality through our senses, similar to how a guitar string vibrates in response to a pick stroke but is unaffected by the colour of the pick. Reality is not what we see; it is an impression. Colours are what we see, not the wave and specific character of light. Not many people agree, yet a wise man once said that we should all face the truth head-on, even if it hurts our feelings. Then again, every human being had to see it.

The night sky provided a serene black backdrop to the poetry of the stars. The gentleness soothed the mind and body, allowing the heartbeat to return to its normal pace. As a kind of compensation, the night came, bringing with it a sense of peace and tranquillity. Rest, forgive, and smile in preparation for tomorrow's or the next day's battles; the night is a beautiful time.

After so many gloomy evenings, seeing a firefly was a welcome sight. It looked like a frozen firework explosion above the lake as they danced in a swarm of light above the water. The closely packed trees of the forest across the dell made it impossible for the moonlight to sully its maze-like floor with more than a few rays of light. It was so ancient that it might nearly be considered primal. Tradition has said that trees have extraordinary abilities and that their blossoms secrete curative honey in the summer.

Many people avoid the forest at night because of the presence of monsters, but a young woman with red hair decided it was safe enough to walk about at night. The floor was covered in a thick carpet of roots. The awe-inspiring canopy awed the young lady. The forests stretched into the night. The sound of a bird's song may be heard coming from a nearby tree. The lady walked into the woodland with a lovely smile on her face, mimicking the tune with a delicate humming murmur.

The expanse of woods ahead of her was never-ending. Or presumably, the lady thought so. The canopies allowed a tiny view into the dreary weather which turned the tones of flora even darker. Unnecessary crossing pathways with crickets chirping were a sight for her magnificent blue eyes to see. She strolled through the forest, black shoes for her foot which compresses the ground underneath it that soon left a footprint. Lightning flashes across the frigid sky, lighting the area that she's in for just a single moment while the birds singing on the tree flew away when the lightning struck the ground.

After hearing the howl of an animal, her body froze. The lightning strike that occurred just a few seconds earlier is likely to blame. Fortunately, the howl was heard a long distance away, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. "Bloody hell! Wolves better not be the source of those howling!" The lady spoke for the first time since she had arrived in the forest before covering her mouth with her left hand when she accidentally shouted to herself, and slowly lowered it so that both of her hands will hold the small brown bag straps a bit tighter than before.

After feeling the chill on her skin, the young lady adjusted her grey fur hood to keep out the wind. As a result of the air winds, she could hear the sound of falling leaves crashing into one another. This time, she had to be extra cautious if she didn't want to become its dinner, or whatever beast had howled in the forest, scaring away a few of the local creatures. How could there be a wolf in the woods? She had ensured that travelling through it was safe, so why did she hear a roaring roar coming from the west? And she's rather certain that she's not a scrummy good treat. So, perhaps it won't devour her?