- Chapter 5 -
Harmony exits the cabin and in the beautiful garden where she had woken up the day prior. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her notebook. She walks the perimeter of the garden as she clings her notebook to her chest. She is quiet and just listens to the birds chirping and the beautiful sounds of nature. She is calm at first, this place seems peaceful, until her mind falls on a memory, and fear sets in. She speaks from her heart without even opening her book. She says,
“I'm afraid to lose you.
I'm afraid for this to die.
Once you know me.
You may despise me.
The world I live. Is unlike others.
The ideas I live by, would disgust most.
Day in and day out.
Falling deeper into the web I have spun for myself.
This web is my happy place.
The place where I am allowed.
To be who I truly am.”
In the distance, Madame is patiently watching Harmony. Almost as like she has a say in Harmony's behavior. Harmony continues to walk the perimeter of her prison.
“Only for a moment though, until a side is shielded.
Only being able to share so much.
Craving to share it all.
Fear is the winner.
Of the game we call life.
Desiring for everything that my childhood painted for me.
Holding onto it tight.
Yet the reality is surreal.
Living a life of experiences that don't always match up.
Their only meeting place is my mind.
The silent man with an eyepatch returns in the distance. He has joined the Madame in watching Harmony. The Madame notices the man, she looks at him with disgust and returns to her cabin.The man takes a seat and so does Harmony, She opens her book and grabs a pen from her pocket. Looking up from the pages, Harmony takes a deep breath and begins to write. She writes,
“There are days that pass by and your emotions reflect the imagery of a dead rose.
Slowly losing your luster.
Wilting into a mass of dryness.
Your vibrant color turns dull,
Your time here feels irrelevant.
What gets you through are the memories of those days.
When your red crisp petals stole the attention.
Your soft touch swooned the soul,
Your sweet scent lured them all.
Until you realize that life is funny like that.
Days maybe even weeks, you feel like a fresh rose.
Still full of strength, full of life.
Until the day you feel the opposite,
defeated and rotting.
Like you may never gain your peace.
Only that it is on lease.”
The man stands and Harmony hears him, she stands and just looks at him. She does not say anything this time, they only share a glance at first. Then a smile and a sense of happiness. He turns away and enters the forest on the other side of her prison walls. She returns to her notebook, reading the very last part again.
“Like you may never gain your peace.
Only that it is on lease.”
She closes her notebook and it's returned to her pocket. The Madame appears in the distance again, Harmony notices this time. She smiles a side smirk at the Madame and stands to continue to pace. She is drawn to the well across the garden and she walks towards it. Upon reaching the well, she seems at peace and stares down into the hole. She is lost inside the deeps waters ahead of her. They swirl with a lot of blackness and little highlight of light blue as it ripples. We see the Madame in the distance, she is concentrating, she is pleased. Harmony says nothing, instead, she stands, lost in a trance, her eyes slightly fluttering. Her thoughts have taken over, the only pain and joy we witness are seen through her facial expressions. Here, we truly see the pain and brokenness that she holds deep inside her. She speaks,
“Rain Rain go away,
I know you are never far away.
Today I beg of you,
Leave me to mend.
The struggle is real,
Attempting to stay positive.
Yet, my pleas are forsaken.
The fear floods all progress,
Floating away to the place I am always welcome.
The deep side is dark,
Pain lives here.
The place that strips you of all confidence.
Its only goal is to drain you.
Keep you hostage and never let you back up stream.
There, your goals are able to soar to such high places,
No one can get you.
Unfortunately for me,
I am too deep.”
Harmony is brought back from inside her mind and turns to look at the Madame, who is no longer in sight. Instead the two men are outside doing lawn work, they smile at her. She smiles back and wipes her tears. She walks back towards the cabin and is again able to hear the birds chirping. She takes a deep breath and reaches for the cabin door.
Thanks so much for reading and being patient with me for missing a month. I hope you are all enjoying Spring to it's fullest!
-Love, Shaynelle