The woods never looked so dark in her life. The winding path through it never looked that sickeningly frightful and the night was never this lonely. The woods near her house had been her escapade, her dreamcatcher and yet, she had never felt the loneliness that she was now feeling.
Delving into the familiar foliage, she thought of her mother who taught her to take long walks in these very woods, when in unrest. This stimulus was enough for tears to come flowing like a cascade. As a piece of glass tore through her heart, she went back to the day when she left home for following her dreams. If she had known, only if she had known….
“Baby, are you sure you want to go today? “, that was the mother, trying to relax and comprehend the fact that her beloved daughter was going to leave home without any notice.
“Yes mom, I’m sure. I’m old enough to take decisions on my own.”, the daughter replies.
“Can’t you reconsider this until you graduate and get a job? “, mother enquires with optimism.
“Didn’t I say that I’ve decided what to do with my life? Now I don’t even feel like calling you ‘Mom’ after all this demotivation you’re doing to me. Why the hell are you poking your head in all matters I do?”, the girl screams back.
“Easy, easy. Don’t shout dear. I just wanted some more time with you until you left me.”, the mother says soothingly with tears stinging at her eyes.
“Okay! I’m off now. Don’t bother to talk to me and please don’t meddle in my life again.”, the daughter folds her hand in mock imploration.
With a jolt of surprise, she came back to the present. Snow had started falling on the forest floor. It had been her mother’s funeral today. The love and care that was once taken as granted, slowly started to become a vacuum inside her. Her thoughts were heavy as she recalled the last day she saw her mom. She had been too hasty in her decisions, now she felt. Ducking under a low lying tree branch, she ran her hand through her hair, shaking off the frost that had gathered. Then, she slowly walked back to her house under a sky full of stars. Her heart was filled with regret.
