A Vision

The road dwindled along. The light was fading fast. Soon there would be nothing more than a few smouldering streaks in the lap of the evening clouds. I quickened my step, trying to bridge the gap to my home, before the forest engulfed me.

My mind wandered. There was someone walking alongside me. Someone I knew so well. We walked together in silence - not the awkward, brittle silence that exists between strangers in an elevator, but warm, comfortable silence, like that between familiar souls.

She turned towards me and smiled. I was struck as always by the happiness she exuded from every corner of her face. Her eyes danced in glee and her lips curled in an impish grin. Seized by an impulse, I pulled her towards myself, and kissed her. A warm glow seemed to suffuse my entire being and for a second I felt free. Free of all the cares in the world, free of all the chains that weighed me down a moment ago. I had found her. And wasn't it about time?

I walked on but this time with a spring in my step. I had found my muse. But wait, there was no one beside me - an apparition had appeared and stolen my heart, but had vanished momentarily, snuffing out the straggling flame of hope in its infancy. I was deflated, forlorn - a bitter disappointment replacing the euphoria. But the vision was strong as ever.

Who was she?