Climbing the path from the dark river
She feels the power of the huge wings
Ancient and massive, as the Eagle moves in the sky above
Turning, the great bird flies off into the gloom, for now instinctive and spirit free.
Roaming for a short time as it waits for the call from it’s absent spirit to return.

The dark, though not yet absolute, allows only a colourless ambience
A drab and comfortless half light in which shadows can be seen to move
Furtively creeping, slinking in the skyless, treeless waste of grey

Above, On the rough path, the guide awaits,
On seeing him the girl - Charlotte : turns.
A flash of colour in the dark
Her shiny red coat which seems to light up the night.
She smiles in greeting and reassurance
No regrets of the life which was stolen from her with the flash of a silver blade
The life she left behind
The life already almost forgotten

On the path the guide awaits, he smiles in turn.
The path beckons.

The path narrowing
Footsteps in the deadening silence
Charlotte and her spirit guide
move slowly on broken scree and gravel
which crunches beneath their feet as wisps of dust arise and for a moment briefly linger
as occasional Motes of briefly glittering light in the gloom.
They dance in the echo of the travellers footfalls
Amid remnants here and there of those who passed before
and those who did not pass.

Dust motes Rising
and Settling once more until the next footfall awakens

In an Endless twilight, the path winds on
small stones and debris crunching beneath the feet of the two walkers
In the distance, becoming gradually visible
a speck of pure, white light.
growing infinitely slowly as they walk.
tugging irresistibly at the soul of the girl
offering a Promise of a second life of beauty and peace.

Walking on, endlessly walking
The path winds and meanders through the gloom
Grey and colourless mountains : sharp and jagged : scattered randomly with a scant covering of lifeless trees appear from time to time in the middle distance

Grim shapes gliding on skeletal wings through the skyless emptiness above, emit an occasional chilling screech in threat and warning to the walkers below

Time appears to pass slowly but in fact does not pass at all
For The void is timeless

The light in the distance
Slowly growing brighter,
calling, inviting, offering a promise of rest, safety and release..
Charlotte smiles.

The path winds on.
In the distance, off to the right
A faint cry can be heard
like that of a child
Stepping from the path
Charlotte gazes into the gloom
and stands transfixed
as a shape appears,
huge, scaled, demonic, fangs and claws.
The creature howls : a preternatural screech
And with unnatural speed races toward the girl who stands frozen in terror
The spirit guide steps before her into the path of the oncoming creature,
Light blazes
Standing in defiance, the guide raises an arm, and points at the beast.
With an accompanying thunderclap and a blinding flash, the creature vanishes, disappearing without a trace
The guide turns once more and beckoning to the girl. They continue.

The path winds on
The light in the distance growing
Colours beginning to appear from the grey
The light becoming ever brighter
The guide calls to the eagle
who returns once more to reunite with it’s spirit

Charlotte smiles
and steps into the light…