The Hedge Crosser

They had sent him to the witch, to see if he could come to his senses.

- It starts out with a path on the mountain. - He says. - I'm alone there, and I know that I have to move up, to reach the top of that mountain. Behind me there is the village I came from. It's like an old, vicking medieval village, gray and cold, and no one likes me there. That is why I have to climb the mountain.

He looks at her, like daring her to say he was wrong, that people did like him there, that Jung and Freud had things to say about dreaming of mountains and angry peasants, but she says nothing. Her face is that metaphorical mask of marmour, so he just continues.

- I start to walk. I walk and I walk and the path is just darker and moodier at every step. I look down and see I'm steping on a transparent type of stone, like a crystal. But sharper. It's tearing holes on my shoes but my feet are still intact, but I know that it's just a matter o time. So this guy shows up. I know it's a god, but I don't know which one. In the village there were many gods, but none looked like this one. This one is wild.

He looks at her again. She nods.

- Anyway, this god shows up and he is all covered in wolf fur and have teeth necklaces and all that. He bark at me first, then he says that if I keep going up, I'm going to get hurt. I say I know that. He says that if I go up I wont go back, ever. I say I know that too, and I ask him to let me pass. He steps aside and I keep going up, but after just a little I feel one of those stones cutting my foot. The wild god is behind me and he begins to laugh really lough, like my pain is the funiest thing he ever saw. I keep walking, but the stones are really hurting me, but I can't go back and I can't stop, it's like a force pulling me up and up and the god keep laughting hard and...

He fall silent, she smiles and says

- And you wake up.

- And I wake up. - He confirms. - I don't know what it means, but it must mean something. I've been dreaming this for a year now.

- It certanly means something. - She says, very calm. - It may not mean what you think it means.

- I don't think anything, that's way I came to you.

- Oh, no. You think it means everything. That's why you came to me.

She is not wrong. He try not to fiddle.

- Well! - She exclaims, the indiference mask dropping like a ripe fruit. - That's all very interesting and nice, but that's just the begining eh? So, why don't you come back here next friday and we start to do the preparations?

- Preparations? I thought you were going to say what my dream meant.

- Oh no, mister Hernan. - There is an accent in the way she says mister, but he can't place it. - No no, I'm just the facilitator. Like a tourist guide, if you may. I'm going to prepare your trip, give tips on how to pack, take you to a scenic tour maybe, and them I'm going to drop you off on the middle of the Coliseun and pray that all the lions are actually dead.

There is a hint of maniac in the way she smiles, but he hasn't expect her to be sane. Still, he hasen't expect to believe a word of what she had to say either... and so far she hasn't said a single thing for him to disbelief. It let him nervous.

- Thhis thing we are going to do...It's goin to hurt? - He asks, and it didn't came all that blasé.

- Probably. - She pours leaves from a Mason jar in a small paper bag with the help of a silver spoon. - It depends on you, really. Some people get out of here with easter bunnies and summer breezes... most don't. Now, mister Hernan, make sure to drink this tea everyday until friday, I put instructions inside. - She handles him the bag, he takes it and is hushed to the door. Before he is out, tough, he asks.

- Do you know who he is?

- Hum?

- The god, do you know who he is?

- Oh, yeah. Nice chap. You're gonna hate him.

And she closes the green old wooden door on his face. It's like he can hear the laugher ringing on his ears again, and again, and again...

Author's Note

So english is not my native language, and any insights on how to improve my writing skills would be very welcome. This is not a very well thought, important piece, just an experiment, and I will take any sugestions in consideration if this ever gain a second chapter.