the riverbank. No laughter. No play. Griffin felt a pang of grief over not seeing the children. Griffin closed his eyes tearing away from the exposed riverbank. He took in the surroundings with his other senses. The chorus of sound, balanced between the river and the forest behind Griffin, was deeply moving. His closed eyes allowed the natural sounds to wash over him. Bird calls and insect buzzes mixed with the gurgle of running water. Every few seconds a breeze pushed the canopy with haunting low wails. The rush of winds combined with sounds from taller trees with the lower canopy overhead. It was like hearing two chords from two distinctively different musical instruments. Combined the auditory experience brought a peace Griffin had never felt. He wanted to swim in these sounds. He wanted to take off his shoes and wade into that river.
Playing with the thought, Griffin opened his eyes, looked down at his feet and found he was dressed in an ornate heavy robe and wearing primitive sandals made from natural fibers. Griffin marveled at the robe's fabric. The feeling it gave on his forearms was familiar, warm in an inviting comfortable way, as if he had it for years. But it was clean, brilliantly white, with gold and black embroidery. And then Griffin remembered. He remembered the other here, in this place, who wore this same robe. Griffin looked right and saw the tree he had leaned on before. The light smooth bark and dark foliage were two paces away.
Recalling the stranger who had appeared behind him, Griffin turned left. But half way round he saw a beautiful young woman of darker skin than his own. She was wearing similar clothes to what he was wearing, a white robe of heavy material. Her robe was such a brilliant white that it seemed lit from within. And she was beautiful indeed. Her skin was a shade darker than olive. Her eyes were large and dark, and her head was partially hooded from the robe. Griffin saw the woman had not seen him or wasn’t looking toward him now. Her gaze was transfixed on nothing. Looking closely he saw she wasn’t moving.
At first Griffin had been transfixed by the appearance of this female apparition. But as he watched her go through the astonishment of being ripped from wherever to here, he knew two things. First, he wasn't hallucinating. He didn't know what else was happening, but all of this around him wasn't inside his mind. This out-of-body experience was outside his body and real. The woman was still taking in their shared “what the fuck” moment. Second, Griffin wasn’t going insane. Tumbling over the thought allowed Griffin to relax. His shoulders fell slightly. Three things Griffin realized, correcting himself. Third, from what he was witnessing of this woman in front of him, she was in the same boat as he. Griffin made a mental note to not appear aggressive, and he froze in place. Knowing how strange and scary this must be for her, Griffin relaxed his arms down to his sides and stood calmly straight. After all, these visions were almost commonplace to Griffin now. Either more than just him were bat-shit crazy, or something amazing was taking place. Last thing he wanted to do was scare her. Besides, to Griffin this place was tranquil, almost holy, somehow. Damn, she was regal.
Griffin acknowledged neither had moved from where they came into this state of conscienceless. Griffin was fixated on her. She was frozen in place, Griffin knew her mind had been blown inside out. As Griffin continued to watch her her eyes shifted. She looked over the ground cover and out over the riverbank. Then, her eyes scanned over to Griffin. Griffin made an effort to smile. She was staring now.
“Have I died?” the Indian young woman said. Fear shot across her face. Tears welled in her eyes. Griffin was crushed with the empathy he felt for her. He wanted to approach her, to embrace her, to put her at ease somehow. But his apprehensiveness had him frozen in place. Griffin didn’t know what to say, or
Playing with the thought, Griffin opened his eyes, looked down at his feet and found he was dressed in an ornate heavy robe and wearing primitive sandals made from natural fibers. Griffin marveled at the robe's fabric. The feeling it gave on his forearms was familiar, warm in an inviting comfortable way, as if he had it for years. But it was clean, brilliantly white, with gold and black embroidery. And then Griffin remembered. He remembered the other here, in this place, who wore this same robe. Griffin looked right and saw the tree he had leaned on before. The light smooth bark and dark foliage were two paces away.
Recalling the stranger who had appeared behind him, Griffin turned left. But half way round he saw a beautiful young woman of darker skin than his own. She was wearing similar clothes to what he was wearing, a white robe of heavy material. Her robe was such a brilliant white that it seemed lit from within. And she was beautiful indeed. Her skin was a shade darker than olive. Her eyes were large and dark, and her head was partially hooded from the robe. Griffin saw the woman had not seen him or wasn’t looking toward him now. Her gaze was transfixed on nothing. Looking closely he saw she wasn’t moving.
At first Griffin had been transfixed by the appearance of this female apparition. But as he watched her go through the astonishment of being ripped from wherever to here, he knew two things. First, he wasn't hallucinating. He didn't know what else was happening, but all of this around him wasn't inside his mind. This out-of-body experience was outside his body and real. The woman was still taking in their shared “what the fuck” moment. Second, Griffin wasn’t going insane. Tumbling over the thought allowed Griffin to relax. His shoulders fell slightly. Three things Griffin realized, correcting himself. Third, from what he was witnessing of this woman in front of him, she was in the same boat as he. Griffin made a mental note to not appear aggressive, and he froze in place. Knowing how strange and scary this must be for her, Griffin relaxed his arms down to his sides and stood calmly straight. After all, these visions were almost commonplace to Griffin now. Either more than just him were bat-shit crazy, or something amazing was taking place. Last thing he wanted to do was scare her. Besides, to Griffin this place was tranquil, almost holy, somehow. Damn, she was regal.
Griffin acknowledged neither had moved from where they came into this state of conscienceless. Griffin was fixated on her. She was frozen in place, Griffin knew her mind had been blown inside out. As Griffin continued to watch her her eyes shifted. She looked over the ground cover and out over the riverbank. Then, her eyes scanned over to Griffin. Griffin made an effort to smile. She was staring now.
“Have I died?” the Indian young woman said. Fear shot across her face. Tears welled in her eyes. Griffin was crushed with the empathy he felt for her. He wanted to approach her, to embrace her, to put her at ease somehow. But his apprehensiveness had him frozen in place. Griffin didn’t know what to say, or
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