To Find The End -

A cold, treacherous wind found him skin bare on a mat shoved into the corner of some room. This wind blew over his shoulders, prickling his flesh were its icy fingers touched. Caressing him into awareness.1

Awareness came slowly. 2

His body twitched painfully, his mind full of plagued scenes, horrors, the screaming faces of those few he loved. He whimpered in his sleep.3

But the wind, she did not give up on her captive. She would not leave him to himself this night. She would not leave him to his despair, though surly only because it was her whim not to. 4

Patiently, ceaselessly she tugged at him. She rushed through the boughs of the trees just outside, carrying their language, whispering her own into his compliant ears.5

Finally, drained eyes opened to an empty dark world.6

He shivered, but as the wind stirred a few strands of the flaming mane that grew so casually from his skull, he did not pull the blanket closer to keep her out. He listened.7

She spoke. 8

She beckoned to him through that which made him hers. Her wordless tongue conversed to all the wild blood that flowed in his veins; rumbling in his ceaseless roving spirit which would ever permit him no true rest.9

She summoned him to a world where no walls kept him from her chilling arms, as if a lover she desired him to come to her, in desire she demanded.10

And he rose to her call.11

Sullen movements clothed him, eyes staring into the darkness. His steps were silent as he made his way out of the house to the outside world.12

The sleeping persons and creatures upstairs remained unaware.13

Yet, from the moment he awoke a single pair of ice blue eyes knew his movements, and those eyes followed him to the foyer.14

She loved him always. Even now, as she remained watchful of his every moment, still silent and constant in her affections. She followed after this man that made up her world.15

With disheartened recognition, as his hand easily found the door handle, she realized he was leaving her, again.16

He spoke only a single word to her as the door opened. Then as he disappeared behind it into the night, for her, life narrowed to the rug where she would mutely await his return.17

A breeze rewarded him for his compliance. His eyes closed in quiet reverence, and the night seemed to twist to accommodate his presence. Not the night, he reminded himself, those within it. Whence he strayed alone in the dark was always a known thing.18

The wind rushed through the tree boughs, urging him onward.19

Onward he went; down stairs, across pavement, under streetlamps until he out walked their cold reach.20

The moon was high above him, indifferent as the stars that surrounded her. She glowed almost full tonight, he was thankful for the easy light.21

The wind swam with ease of spirit about him, tousling his flaming hair, happily whistling around him.22

His eyes kept to his feet and the sidewalk. It was a soundless trek. Far off he heard the noises of the small city at his back. The nothingness out ahead called him onward as the wind gleefully caressed his restless form.23

The morning found him miles away.24

Home swam with panic; people would look for him. They would miss him. Cry for him. Be afraid. Scream 'why' to the heavens. Blame themselves.25

Tearful faces moved through his heart, and he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not that he didn’t love them; family, friends. There was just nothing that could save him, and why delay this any longer…26

His mind floated far away on the easy breeze. His body moved like an empty vessel.27

He wasn’t returning… not this time… not even for the love of ice blue eyes, eyes that as her image passed in his heart made him start to weep. But he kept on, tears naked to the horizon. Dying man walking with the wind.