Visions

         I watched out of the corner of my eye as the illusion receeded into the underbrush.  The vision plagued me without an answer in my mind.  This translucent small child had appeared in my line of sight like a wordless messenger.  I stared, riveted, for a full minute, unable to look away.  She said nothing and betrayed no interest in me, but stood in the grass staring at her hands.  As I stared, the messages of the image sprang to mind, then quickly vanished again.  Finally, I had to look away.

         The weathered picnic table was solid under my hand.  The rough, parallel grooves responded like a marker confirming my anchor in this reality.  "If I can hold on tight enough, I can't possibly fall any further."  That thought sounded like the truth, but continued to raise doubts in my mind.  I looked down and closed my eyes.