The Beautiful Wall

THIS IS PROBS MY FAVORITE SHORT I'VE EVER WRITTEN. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ IT.

The Beautiful Wall

It's glass, and although it could easily be broken, neither one of them knew it they had the guts to take the risk. It was beautiful on both sides; expressing their hopes and dreams as a wondrous reality. Both of them could stare at the wall for days on end without growing bored of it. It was so beautiful.

The wall was also transparent, and they could see each other. Separately, they each had been searching for this wall for years. Seeking the comfort of its existence. Yearning for the solid form to lean on. Craving the reality it showed.

She found it first. The glass wall was mostly blank when she did. A few small sketches of a future were traced on it; shining with vibrant colors that gave her hope. Occasionally, the pictures would dim out or fade, but she never gave up.

She wanted to at times. The road she had walked to get to this point was long, dull, and colorless, but now she had had a taste of that light, that color, and it scared her to think of being without it.

One day, the colors began to shine brighter than ever before. Her eyes widen in awe as the pictures began to grow and expand. The pounding of her heart so fast, she could feel it within her bones with every shakey breath she took. Although the pictures that continued to grow gave her a feeling of shelter, of safety, it still frightened her. What if, God forbid, she grows used to the new level of brightness, and then that begins to fade as well?

That same day, as she sat in front of the wall, something caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw colors that weren't her own. The new colors were coming towards hers, and quickly.

Sooner than expected, the unfamiliar colors were right before her, and they tangled together with her own. The result was so breath-taking; all she could do was stare. The new pictures were extremely detailed pieces of art compared to the sketches she was used to. Was this real? Nothing could have made that moment better. Or, so she thought.

From the other side if the glass came a small tap-like sound. It pulled her attention from the beautiful wall, and her eyes landed on him.

Little did she know, the man on the other side of the wall had gone through similar pain in order to get to where he was now, but he was better than her. He had found his light long before he stumbled upon the beautiful wall.

He smiled at her, and he waved.

She cowardly tried to hide away; she was a fragile soul who held trust issues towards kindness. Everyone who was ever nice to her, left.

He took quick note of this, and he didn't like it. The way she was now, reminded him of how he used to be, and he wanted to help, but he knew there was little to nothing he could do.

After some thought, and a great amount of hesitation, she sat down close to the wall in a criss-cross position, and waved back. The way his eyes lit up when she did made her smile.

Needless to say, the two began to talk, a lot. Over the course of weeks, they discovered they had a lot in common, but they still didn't truly know much about one another.

She wanted to though. She wanted to know his hopes, his dreams...what his colors represent, what they mean to him. She wanted to know what makes him happy, what angers him, what frightens him. She wanted to know just how he liked his coffee, if he had a bad day or not, and so much more.

That was her major flaw. Growing attached merely because someone honestly intrigues her and, at the same time, shows no sign of leaving.

Those facts frightened her, and she turned her back time and time again, so he wouldn't see her cry.

This change in her, he didn't like it, and he began to continuously tap against the beautiful wall. He knew what pain she held, for he too once suffered through it.

"Don't go...please, don't go..." His words were soft, and caused her to face him again.

"Why? I need to stop, and the best way to stop feelings is to pretend they don't exist!" She was still crying, but he couldn't do anything! The wall was in the way...

"But they do! On both sides of this wall, they're there! Please, don't go..." It hurt them both when his confession passed between his lips.

The silence that fell over both of them was one of understanding. A mutual agreement. Slowly, he brought his hand up, and placed it firmly against the beautiful glass wall. He smiled softly at her, but his eyes were brimming with tears.

With a small smile of her own, and a soft, broken, cry...she reached up, and placed her hand against his.

That, dear reader, is the story of how sometimes, no matter how strong or even mutual the feelings are, one just has to come to grips with the fact that, that beautiful glass wall, will always be there, and it takes a lot more than a few wants to take the risk of breaking through it, just to hold their hand.