
Image by Jaye Marie
While hitch hiking in the New Forest I took a wrong turn
The trees stood closer together, darker, menacing
My heart pounding as the light changed
I could see a small clearing
There stood a glass temple built in the fashion
of a step pyramid about four feet high
On the lower step sat a very small monk
His head in his hands, I could hear him sobbing
Stepping closer to sit beside him I asked after his sadness
Turning to me with the most beautiful face
Small, round bright blue eyes with bow shaped lips
The kind I knew to be soft to the touch
His voice, a rustle of leaves, full of mystery
Someone has stolen the gold stone
Without it the forest will soon die.
Before finding myself in this strange place
I had bought a few trinkets to take home
I offered the monk my palm sized piece of pyrite
Asking if it would do, in place of the lost stone
He took it in his small hands, saying
It’s a good replacement given with kindness
The forest spirits will be very grateful
He placed it on top, bowed his head
I heard whispered words that meant nothing to me
Thinking he was deep in prayer, I made my way out
of the forest with no wrong turns
Not realising the scene behind me was slowly fading
Disappearing into a realm that had sent it in the first place.
Stopping for a coffee before returning to my car
I asked about the glass temple.
No one knew what I was talking about
On my way out, the elderly man who sat behind me
Stopped to say I had been blessed by the sands of time
That from now on, my life would take the right turns
I watched him walk away, wondering how he knew
About my wrong turn. He made no mention of the glass temple
The words whispered by the monk stayed in my mind
I would try to look them up later…
©anitadawes
Lovely story.
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Thank you, Sadie…
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You’re welcome 😇
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