"Blank Walls" by Sally Idris ('19)

It is seven in morning and everything is silent.The sun is shining and a slight breeze was blowing, you could feel it across your face. A column of smoke rose from a cabin’s chimney. It trailed into the blue of the November sky, turning it a steely grey. It appears to be isolated, and yet, in the corner came the sounds of crying, of a heart beating faster and faster. It is a strong soundthat keeps on jumping back and forth,I could not come to understand where it was coming from.

Time passed quickly, so quickly that twelve hours had passed. What was hiding in this shed? The loneliness emanated from the small, wooden structure; a feeling of uneasiness along with the presence of shivers shot through my cold body. So many questions began running through my head. I cannot recall how I came to be in this very room. My vision became overrun with memories, apparitions, and an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia; that for some reason did not appear to be my own.

There was a weak light casting a shadow along the blank wall. It was a sign. A message from the other that was keeping me company. The more I looked at the shadow the more my eyes squinted and the more I struggled to understand. Is this another reaching out for help, or is it merely my inner being struggling to break free?