You Are Here. Sharing Summer Writing at the Lane Libraries
A special thanks to A.K. Reiber for sharing writing with us this summer. Vivid imagery sets the mood for this scene. Enjoy!
“You Are Here” by A.K. Reiber
Sparta is assembling on the dusty plains inside your head, rotting teeth gritted in anticipation. Fists clench, and rivulets of sweat dribble down battle-scarred faces, and shrewd, malicious blades glint hungrily in the white-hot afternoon light. Across the sandy sea, the enemy shakes in his armor. There’s a metallic rattle as their knees wobble weakly. One of the men turns and darts for the horizon, tailed by glances of both disgust and abandonment. The sheer glory of Sparta’s armies must have chilled his very blood, you think. You grin at his back, amused at the boldness of his cowardice.
You blink and the image fades, because you’re not standing on the precipice of a legendary battle.
You are here.
The carnival is in town—or at least, the town within your mind, the town with white picket fences and blue skies. A melody permeates the air, upbeat and happy. The song repeats over and over in an infinite cycle. Laughter rings like bells and you shiver with sheer delight. Lights are flashing in bright hues and rides are whizzing by and you are immersed—ah, blessedly immersed!—in the awe of the moment.
But you’re not there. You are here.
Waves lap at the shores of your imagination. Mist tickles your ankles as you wade tentatively into the shallows. The water parts before you, and a scaled hand flicks forth and pets the arch of your foot. A head peeks out of the water, sporting a mischievous grin. The mer-woman retreats into the deeper waters and beckons with webbed fingers for you to follow. You take another step. The water sparkles invitingly in the moonlight. It ripples, chuckling, as the mermaid ducks under playfully. Struck by a sudden pang of desperation, you dive after her. Your fingers catch her by the tail and she drags you under, into a world more magnificent than you would have ever known.
You grin. Enraptured.
But you’re not there. You are here.
You are here.
