The stars. That’s all I could think of every step I took. It’s dark, but how they illuminate the path I am being forced to follow. The ground is frozen and surrounding me is nothing but silence. I know someone is with me as I hear the faint exhale in the frigid air. Who are they? In this moment, knowing I am with someone strange is more important than knowing where I am.

“Do you remember this spot?” The faint voice says. No matter how loud they speak, it is only a whisper to my cochlea. I cannot tell where I am as they have not taken of the blindfold.

“Are you going to speak or is this another one of your bullshit games because you’re upset?” Confused, all that could leave my lips was to tell them I cannot see.

“Have you tried… Oh, I don’t know, opening your eyes?” Was it that easy? Now I’m embarrassed. How I feel such a way in a fearful moment, I’m unsure. Perhaps it is because I’m not afraid? There is a subtle, quiet comfort with this person.

I open my eyes, slowly. I see the ground first and where I am standing, it is discolored. If everything is frozen, how am I to see the vibrancy underneath? As I lift my head, I notice the frozen tundra around me crack and slowly melt. Such as my feelings did when I felt the presence of the stranger near by. I am scared to look. As I remember where I am, I know who is with me. I do not want to admit I know. My stomach turns as I try to swallow once last time before I meet their gaze.

“Why are we here again.” I say before I turn my head to right, suddenly noticing the energy has moved and shifted.

“This is where it all began. This is where worlds collide and we see who is more determined to take over.”

“I told you before numerous times, I refuse to participate in this project. I am not a soul you can sink your teeth into so you can have your will bit by bit. I have made my peace with the past. Why can’t you?”

Before the last word left my mouth, I felt the world around me burst into flames as the stranger locks eyes with me. Each step towards me is making my heart drop to my feet.

“Peace? There is NO peace in the valley. Every issue, every small, minute problem you have stuffed down have slowly cracked your brain and created a toxic atmosphere in the valley where all the anxieties rot.”

“Am I supposed to be sorry?” I said. “No one can live sanely if all they do is stew in the pot of misery. I cannot ruminate on every worry and every issue I feel or think. Half my worries aren’t even mine. No one said that had to be your home!”

I have never seen a face so tormented before. Like my words were a slap in the face. They looked at me with a very different expression than I have ever seen before…

“This desolate world is a desert of violence because YOU chose it to be. The ground under you may be frozen, but it damn sure is not for safety reasons. You are stagnant. Cold. You feel nothing. You keep a pity party of a smile on your face so no one asks how you really are. This land may be hot, it is vibrant and volatile. But it feels. It thinks. It is alive! Can you say the same about the you that’s showing up in the world?”