the other side

I had to hurry
the trees were curling inwards
threatening to cover the trail
I could barely keep ahead of the destruction

dark pines were dappled with amber light
the smell of smoke pervaded
I still wasn’t sure if this was even real

there was no slowing down
even around the sharp curve
my feet pressed to go faster, further

memories of other escapes assailed me
I could taste the terror
the metallic flavor of fear

I was making my way through the tumult
expecting the hills to fall down around me
but finding a path, though it grew smaller

darkness settled in
eventually comforting me
as it halted the flow of disturbing images

other senses took over
but somehow became skewed
to my own version of reality

was it what I hoped
or what I feared
or was it the truth

any questions I had I held in check
as I realized that though there had to be others
I was in fact alone in this

after traveling far
whether by time or distance, I’m still not sure
a glimmer arose in the horizon
and I knew I was on the other side