THE GREEN MIST

I can’t remember when first the green mist came into my life. Thinking back, I guess that it had always been there, for as long as I can remember. Always at important times in my life it had appeared, and my life had changed in one way or another.

I remember one of my first days at school, playing in the classroom with my best friend Ray. There was one new toy that had arrived in the classroom that week. It was no different to many of the other toys in the classroom, but it was new, so of course we both wanted it. Like all children of 5 or 6 we started to argue over it, and tears came to eyes. Then just as the teacher started towards us to sort out the squabble the green mist came down.

Next thing I can remember is my parent’s arriving at school, and me, still crying home. Once there I was sent to my room, and a while later they came to talk to me, to try and explain, and find out what had gone wrong with their normally placid son. They told me, that it had taken three teachers to get me out the classroom. But like every other time the green mist came down I could not remember a thing about what happened.

 

As I grew up, so the mist came and went. The football game where I took on the whole of the opposing team after being hit after the whistle had blown. The trip to the coast where I had ended up being left behind after not doing what I was told, the green mist making you deaf as well as blind.

And so I grew up, time passed by, and I grow up, learning to be able to control the green mist. As with every teenager, it was a time of discovery learning of life and love. I knew happiness and heartache, until at college I finally met the person I was sure was meant just for me. She came into my life, like a breath of fresh air, her smile lit my days and her lips sent me to sleep smiling each night. The mist I thought had gone, and everything in my life was wonderful. We were a couple, and item, a pair. We grew into love, as we grow into each other, learning the ways of the body and the heart together.

Plans were made as we graduated and started work, both knowing that our love was all that mattered. Our love was all that we knew. That was until the green mist struck once more, and I lost all I had ever dreamed for in life.

I met my Bekki after work one day, she had been invited to a friend’s leaving party, I did not really want to go, wanting my Bekki all to myself. But she wanted to, and so we went. The party was actually quite good and everybody was enjoying themselves. The drink flowed and with each passing hour, the music went up a notch or two. I came back from the bathroom, and was looking for my love, as the slow records had started to play. Suddenly I saw her on the floor, her arms draped round a person she had introduced me to earlier as her boss. His arms and hands were all over her, and then came the green mist fell. Next thing I knew I was being pulled away from a now prone, bleeding and unconscious man. The look Bekki gave me was one so full of pain and anger, I could not look her in the eyes.

I turned away and left, left the part, left the town, left the state. The green mist had cost me all the mattered in my life.

I found a job working as a Forest Ranger, away from all who knew me, and all who could be affected by the green mist. I found peace in the woods, amongst nature, peace and understanding, and gradually control of my feelings, and the green mist. The summer season brought many visitors to the park, and I made many new friends. No more green mist, no more worry, and almost no more heartache.

Some years later, a flash flood warning was broadcast for our forest area, a huge lightening storm was heading straight for us. The park was full of people enjoying their summer, all of which we had to clear from the fast approaching storm. I drove through the forest to one of the more remote picnic spots, when the storm broke. In my time as a Forest Ranger I had seen many storms, but this one was the worst. Suddenly my vision was almost down to zero, huge sheets of lightning flashed across the sky, mixing with the crash of thunder that rolled round the hills. Ahead I could just make out the reflection of a car’s taillight, and a fresh bolt of lightning crashed into the forest. The car seemed to be stuck in the mud, so I jumped out to help try and free the car. Suddenly the whole world seemed lit up like a beacon as with an earsplitting crash a bolt of lightning hit a tree, flinging me to the ground. As I pulled myself back to my feet, I could see by the lights of the car that a huge branch and fallen across the car, trapping those inside. I rushed over, to try and rescue the trapped people, when a fresh flash of lightning lit the scene and my heart stopped.

There trapped in the driving seat was my Bekki! Blood trickled from her lips, and she tried to smile.

"Fancy meeting you here" she muttered

"Hush" I said "I will have you free in a moment"

She grabbed my hand, "Leave me" She tried to turn her head, to where I now saw a small frightened child sat strapped in the back seat.

"Save your daughter" she smiled.

My mouth dropped open, my daughter, what did she mean? A fresh crash of thunder brought me back to my senses. I was a Ranger, and I had a job to do. All my questions could be answered later.

I reached in and carefully lifted the frightened child from the car, leaning forward I kissed Bekki.

"It’s alright love, I’ll be back for you" I said sounding as confidant as I could.

I rushed to my car, placing the girl inside, before running back to my trapped Bekki.

"She is safe" I told her, but the smells of petrol from the crushed car made me think otherwise about Bekki and I.

I tried to lift the branch but it was too heavy.

"Go" said Bekki "It is no use, just remember I love you, and have always loved you"

No use! no use! My heart shouted, finding a daughter, finding I still had my love. I needed strength, now more than at any time before, I needed the green mist.

Grasping the branch with my hands, rain streaming down my face, I started to try and lift it. I cried out to the forest to give me strength. I thought of all that had gone before, the pain, the heartache, and the loneliness. I channeled everything into the thought of the mist. Suddenly it was there, crashing through my mind, covering the noise of the storm as it filled my whole being.

I came to, lying on the ground, my head reeling and blood dripping from my hands. The branch was moved from the car. I tried to stand every part of my body screaming with the effort. I managed to drag the now unconscious Bekki from the car, eventually taking her to the safety of my own vehicle, to join our daugher.

I did not know how, but I something had changed, the green mist had come, and with the effort, almost like a goodbye had gone, and I knew in my heart it would never come again.

I put the car into gear, and as I did so, the rest of the lightening hit tree crashed down, crushing Bekki’s car.

And so we drove to the hospital, a new life ahead of us, thanks to the green mist

Barry Eva August 2001 

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