The Imagined Mind

You enter the room
Darkness suffocating
Smothering all light
Weaving through the black
Sneaks a faint whisper
Swirling in the still air
Surrounding you

You step forward
Your hand against a cold wall
Dry crackling erupts from beneath you

Paper
The shreds of crumpled parchment
echo your steps

You pull your hand away
But the cold lingers
It slickens your palm with something

Ink

The whispers around you gain strength
Multiplying
Slowly you piece them together
Their voices intertwine
 

Shaping themselves into stories
Too numerous to understand
Too confusing to follow
-they carry tales
Thousands of them
Every single one different

Legends of love
Glory
Triumph
Magic
They proudly proclaim their history

Your ears strain to hear more
Voices cracking with sadness
Guilt
Horror
Hatred

The storied unfold themselves
Other sounds accompany them
Clshing swords
Breaking waves
Running feet
Galloping hooves

A soft glow appears before you
Light expanding through the room
A girl glides into view
Clothed in robes of white
But for the blood red hem
She seems young
Though she regards you with ancient eyes

"Welcome," says she, her voice the most solid
"Welcome to my mind,"