Ghost Skier – A Short Love Story
by Stephen Andrew Brown
A lone, pale figure, moving on the slopes at Twilight.
Her moves are slow and effortless as she glides across moonlight-filled bowls.
She seems content, flowing gracefully, in and out of long, silent shadows that resemble evergreens.
Snowy, twilight mist envelops her as she glides through a moonlit copse of trees.
She pauses for a breath-instant, looking into the winter sky, and seemingly giving a joyous, wondrous sigh of thanks to the mountain, towering above.
She is giving thanks as she gazes into the ethereal blackness of the night that has been her home now for so many years.
She is one who was transformed, years ago, meant to grow, and learn, and be. Helping others along the Path of the Life Wind.
And then there was another. Someone she knew long ago, a would-be master of the Life Wind, now lost to memory. Still, something is stirring in the night.
She stops, turns, and looks out through a snow-covered branch, her winter-heightened senses drawing her close to something, someone she knew, long ago.
Suddenly, a memory rises... A Promise Made! She Must Return!
Her heart is drawn out of her, as she reaches out with her mind, her heart sensing a lonely, inward-feeling soul, a spirit, kindred to her own!
She waits within the silence of the quietened, snow-enveloped mountain night, listening with seen and unseen senses, wanting to hear an answer to her heart's call...
He is alone in the world. A lifetime spent wandering has brought him full circle, back upon this mountain, to this place where he has been skiing secretly tonight.
His is a heart, lost in the past, hoping beyond hope to see she who they say is still alive, living as a dream upon the mountain.
He knew her when he was young, a child, barely able to contend with the winds of life.
She helped him then, teaching him about the Life Wind, its power showing only after her last teaching moment with him.
She departed shortly after, leaving a void, but he survived due to his ability to channel the Life Wind through his heart, enabled by her. Energized by her, before she changed her existence.
His journeys took him away from this place, but when he became of age, he hurried back, hoping to find back the lore of who she was, how she lived, and what she must have done throughout the years.
And now, here he was! Back again! To this place! This life! This world! Her world! Their world?
And that is the one thought that makes all the difference!
Love. Pure! Unconditional! This is what makes the change begin, energizing both of them and drawing each other out from hiding!
She can't hold back any longer, and neither can he!
He pushes out from the copse, exposing himself to the stars and moon above.
She follows suit, her light-field propelling her faster than he can ski, so she arrives by him, first!
She follows suit, her light-field propelling her faster than he can ski, so she arrives by him, first!
She feels the Pure, Unconditional state of his Love, and allows her light-field to cascade around him, enveloping him, changing him.
He accepts her proffered gift freely, openly, understanding that this is what was meant to happen all along!
Then, realizing that he has changed—that he has become one with her—together they glide off, into the snowy, mountain mist!
Playing tag with each other as they schuss down a carefree, open bowl!
He feels her joy as she takes him over a snow-covered butte, their light-trails leaving shimmering, dancing, particles of snowlight in their wake, as they leave the edge, and fly off into the moonlit sky!
He makes an effort to catch her, but she moves effortlessly away, laughing, Pure Joy emanating from her Very Being! She Is In Love! For the first time in her life! And she knows it!
They love playing tag, flying through the sky! The Life Wind propelling their hearts forward, on toward a destined meeting, given the nature of the Love they now both enjoy!
He feels that joy as she takes him down, down lower, down through the heights, toward the forest of evergreens coming up before them as they coruscate upon the light-field of the Life Wind emanating from both of their bodies!
A pinnacle of joy they are as they appear to float through the winter-whitened meadow that has now become their landing field!
Quieting their minds, their movements cease.
She then turns to him, and holds his hands in hers.
She then turns to him, and holds his hands in hers.
She gives him a gentle caress, as they are standing silent, amidst the meadow's stillness.
Then, for the first time in what seems to be forever, tells him of mountains, meadows, and cool, snow-covered peaks she has seen.
And, like an invitation, beckons him closer to her.
They embrace each other, and, in a quiet rush of winter air, are gone!
All that remains are the tracks left by their slippery skis, stopping, and ending, in the heart of the meadow.
–
As Morning Sunlight passes through the tall evergreens, onto the site where two spirits, one, material, the other, not, embraced and departed, the light quietly melts away the remainder of what we may call impossible.
But as the warm light shines down, we can hear the subtle sound of wind-made, happy laughter. As the sun comes up and brilliantly fills the snowy mountain bowls!
©Copyright 2014 Stephen Andrew Brown. All Rights Reserved. Please do not make copies except for those used in critical reviews or for educational purposes, as in a college or other classroom environment.
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