Strange

That is how this whole day felt

from the Trees that made me feel watched

to the Leaves that made me feel followed

It was all so strange

the cold air pinches my nose

clenches my lungs

my feet are too numb to feel

i hear a faint voice call for me

but there is no one near

just the Wind, the Leaves, the Trees

and the Cold

the Sky paints itself red

streaked

dark

murky

and i walk faster

i think:

anywhere

but

here

Here

where the cement ground beneath me

becomes quicksand—it seethes me

where the trees surround me

become barricades—it bounds me

i hear my name called once more—

the airy voice was louder, harsher

i don’t bother to stop in place

i walk faster

keeping my head down

looking at my shoes

they kept no warmth

Worn

Torn

these bloody cold shoes

walking

dead leaves

were the leaves

red from the fall

phenomenon

or the blood that was spilled

my blood was cold, still

the airy voice went deep

its anger and power vibrating through me

like the wind rustling the leaves off the trees

my innocent front was shaken

Strange

i don’t remember

what am i running away from

what am i being paranoid about

i stop in place

and look around

my vision is filled with autumn colors

the Wind made the Leaves fight around me

the Wind made the Trees cry a melody

that melody of someone losing pieces of themselves

the trees sang as their leaves fell

and my soul sang as my mind fell

into that strange place

i bring my hands to my face

blowing my breath onto them in

hopes

of warming up

Strange

what is that iron smell

i look at my hands

dyed in red

i was as cold as the air

my hand shaking like the trees

as i look back to

where i was running from

running

down the path

i see a body of dead leaves

lifelessly lying there

the same red color that dyed my hands

stained my shoes

Strange

were leaves always that large

were leaf veins always so blue

was the stem always so similar

to a human

body?

Strange

why do those leaves

look a bit

like

me