Walking down the gray street of an urban city with an easy stride.The woman in the suit is free. The weather outside, frigid and fullwith a misty fog and an overcast sky thick as if it was the border of all reality to her. A typical autumn day for this towering metropolis.I'm sure, you the listener, is wondering were this woman goes in herwandering way. To a place she has visited countless times before. The Darkness Loved. Her favorite hideaway. Suddenly everything goes black and then starts to flicker as if the channel on the television rapidly faded in and out.

     Her slumber ended abruptly. Upon sitting upright, she felt aserious throbbing in her head similar to the consequences of an allnight martini mix off. Looking around, she noticed were she was lying.Not in her normal surroundings of white laced curtains and darkmahogany furniture. Walls painted deep ocean blue. No, this was nothome. Last nights bed was a dance floor. She stood up slowly fightingfor balance. Suddenly the lights turned on. Unfamiliar faces stood allaround her. They were all smiling. Naturally, smiling seemed to fit.The faces stared in shock and fear. Fear of what she endured. Thewoman, becoming aware of her toothless smile, slowly reached for hermouth to feel at her gums. A pressure started to build inside herstomach as if it was a champagne bottle intensely shaken. She coveredher mouth and gasped then raced to the nearest door. It's locked. Sheturns around, scanning franticly with her eyes and sees an empty floor."Where have the people gone." she thought. Her thoughts began tomuddle. How did she end up here. Smoothly, the music fades in floodingher senses with the sound of a familiar song. Her favorite at thattime, to be exact. "Mr. Reznor, we meet again" that single thoughtpassed by. The recognition of something induced and euphoric. Liftingher, elating her. The music ceases. Mellifluous melody to her ears,gone. Light filled the room flooding her panoramic vision. Blinding andsublime. Her anxiety and fear escaped.

     The light diminishes to a bright, cloud scattered sky. Trees at her sides. Their leaves turned various shades of orange, brown and red. At the end of the fire break appears the apple of her eye no longer. The figure approaches calmly without hesitation. The figure reaches the forefront of her view, long hair draped over her face. She parts the hair aside revealing, Angelina. The wind whipped up from behind her rushing a warm gust of air that seemed to nudge her closer to Angelina. She caught herself. Their eyes locked. Emerald green filled her stare. Tree branches rustled loudly in the wind. Disturbing cacophony. Angelina embraces lovingly and she returns the enthusiasm with restraint. This love is no
longer. Replaced with appreciation over their shared emotion. Letting go of the losses. So many empty smiles. Even though this road is over, there will be many more miles.