My Morning Mist
It was right before the break of dawn. One of those countless nights where your mind and body refuse to cooperate. I’d given up on the fact that I’d get some sleep that night, and stepped out of my hut to stir up things a bit. Little did I knew, what I was walking myself into.
I was unusually greeted by a gush of icy air as I stepped out of the main door. Although a part of me was hoping for it to be cold, this caught me by surprise. It was pretty dark, with some distant yellow lights casting a shimmering glow. I could hear some excited wind chimes far away, probably having a moment with the strong wind. But it wasn’t just the wind — it carried with itself a thick white blanket of magical mist. Mist that blinded, mist that engulfed, mist that enchanted. My body shuddered & shivered as it got in terms with this sudden change, and I suddenly felt all my senses wide awake. My nose was particularly restless, for the smell of the mist was unique — more like unchartered territory. Curious, I decided to take a step forward, casually believing it all to be a dream anyways.
My feet landed on dew laden grass, tickling me playfully. It sent a shiver down my spine, although I didn’t quite feel scared. I froze nevertheless, and used the opportunity to acclimatise myself. I realised I was exhaling clouds of anticipation with each breath, as my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness that surrounded. My heartbeat was embarrassingly loud, accompanied with some faint chitter-chatter in the distance by fellow furry early risers.
I decided to take a few more steps forward, although I could barely see a thing. The grass was assuring that there was ground underneath, but it was the smell that was giving the directions. It wasn’t hard to figure that the mist wasn’t stationary — it was moving rather impatiently towards something. A few nervous steps in that direction, and the smell intensified even more. Surely, it meant something. Like a kid drawn towards an ice cream van, I decided to pursue.
I could feel the swiftly changing hues of the sky from pitch black to seductive shades of grey. The mist was gorgeous — it had a sense of rhythm to it. And much to my disbelief, both my mind & body were responding to it. I was playing hide & seek with it, although I had little idea what I was seeking. My feet stumbled upon twigs, stones & fallen leaves, thereby changing the tickling textures with each step. This continued for a while, until the point I stepped heavily right onto a thorny rose bud. I paused with a shriek of pain, and looked down. A tiny stream of warm blood was discovering its way, looking amusingly aesthetic with the trampled rose. I took a moment to understand what had just happened, and gently removed the thorn letting my skin to clot. I examined the thorn as my feet recovered & the pain subsided, and decided to slip it in my pocket and carry on.
I made friends with more thorns on the way, but my stubborn feet stayed resolute enough. The sky had turned white by now, although the mist didn’t subside. It felt even more blinding, for the white fog blended straight into the sky, making me gasp in love. I pinched myself in disbelief, still assuming that it was nothing but a snoozed alarm extended too long. But only, it wasn’t. The mist was dancing with the wind, and funnily I felt right at the centre of it. I looked back, I looked sideways, I looked down — it didn’t quite matter. I was wrapped tightly in it, yet, it felt elevating — literally sweeping me off my feet. My lips were moist and my ears felt ticklish, as I felt the mist speaking out to me in its own mysterious ways. I wasn’t feeling cold anymore, but the goosebumps never left as I stood there stupefied. As I savoured the mist with each breath making it a part of me, it felt reassuring — as if it was always meant to be. I’d found a new companion, someone that not only showed me the way, but accepted to walk alongside.
Mark my words when I say this, and I mean it in every sense of the word, my morning mist was far beyond mesmerising and spectacular, way ahead of every unreal fantasy I’d dreamt all my life.
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to be continued,
hopefully.
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