Fleeting Thoughts

Enchantress

I lie awake

Counting my breaths as the hours pass

Slowly slipping into my subconscious

Delving into my deepest desires

I open my eyes

I'm surrounded by castle walls

At the feet of a stagnant pool

I look down

Beneath the water I see a staircase

Spiraling down into depths unknown

I contemplate the task at hand

I close my eyes

And inhale

The splash is barely audible as I dive

Cutting through the waters

Upsetting the stagnant pool

I begin my descent

I lose track of the amount of stairs passed

My lungs can hardly take the stress

Just as I begin to choke

I rise out of the waters

I am on the other side

I climb out of the stone laid well

I feel the cold night air

The sounds of creatures in the distance

I know what I must do

I walk into a wooded area

Looking keenly for my spot

The hollow tree presents itself

I reach inside

A flask

A sword

An amulet

I grab the items

I look to the sky

The moon has risen to its utmost peak

I must travel with haste

I run quickly

Deep into the dark forest

The lunar light as my guide

I pass a lake

Cut through a thicket

Ascend a hill

Descend the hill to the other side

I slow my pace

I listen

I hear her

The sweet melody all too familiar

I follow it

The sound grows louder

I know she's near

Then I see it

The pale white face

A flowing ivory robe

Glistening in the light of the moon

A vine snaps beneath my feet

Her bright blue eyes dart towards me

I dive behind the vastness of an ancient oak

She speaks

"Damn you!" she says

"Come out!"

I make my way round her

She walks towards my original direction

I'm nearly behind her

I creep up to her side

And in an instant I whisper

"Reveal your secrets"

She turns

The change happens immediately

The eyes turn red

The robe becomes black as night

The pale white face an ugly grey visage of horror

I look to the sky

The moon has moved further than I planned

A crack of morning light shines in the distance

No

Not yet

"Tell me!"

"Reveal what you know!"

She laughs

I draw my sword

I uncap the flask stowed in my garments

Drink the contents

I hold the amulet in my hand

The dawn is approaching

No

Not yet!

She laughs harder

Her cackling echoing through the vastness of the forest

I hear the horns in the distance

A great red light shines from the sun

The horns repeating the familiar ostinato

The red light grows

"Show me the secret!!!!!!"

Then reality slowly blurs

A bolt of lightning strikes a nearby tree

The clap of thunder rumbling through the wood

A book is revealed

I run towards it

I prepare the amulet to be inserted into the front cover

The horns are louder

Red light brighter

No time!

No time!

And then suddenly

Black

I open my eyes

The repeating noise pains my ears

I look over to the red light

6:37 AM

Alas, I failed again