Eyes of Jade

[Jaded Eyes]

He walked slowly through the forest, guided not by sight . . . not true sight. His eyes were bound with a strip of linen, and the scars about them bespoke of why they were bound so. In spite of this seeming infirmity, he moved without any impediment, and only ceased his stroll when he came to the lake, leaning upon his staff. He brought his right hand away from the staff and waved it out before him. At first, nothing seemed to happen, then the water before him shimmered, and the image of a beautiful young woman appeared.

The young woman smiled at the man, and spoke softly, “Hello, father. What do you need?”

The man returned the smile sadly, and spoke just as softly, “Just someone to speak to on this cold night, my child. It is lonely, and I miss all of you so.”

A sigh was emitted from the young woman, and she turned her head away, “I know, father. I wish things could be different.” Her eyes grew distant for a moment and then she looked back to her father, speaking again, “Mother says hello, and so do all the rest.”

He nodded slowly, a tear slowly coursing from beneath the linen cloth down his cheek, and his voice was choked as he said, “Yes, thank you, child. I . . . I must go now. Rest now, and be at peace.”

“We will. I love you, father,” she said.

“And I you, child,” he returned as he waved his hand again, her image fading. He tensed as he heard a snarling behind him, and slowly turned to face the wolf that had come upon him. He frowned slightly, and slowly raised his hand to remove the linen cloth from over his eyes.

Golden eyes watched the man warily, the snarling never ceasing until the man opened his eyelids. Where his eyes had once been were orbs of jade, and within them shone a soft light. The man put the linen cloth in one of the pockets of his robe and then offered the hand out to the wolf, which slowly edged forward, sniffing the hand. The man smiled and gently ruffled the wolf’s fur, and chuckled when it licked his hand. “Go on now, little brother,” said the man softly, and the wolf bounded off; stopping at the edge of the forest to look back curiously at the man, then disappeared into the night.

The man took the linen cloth back out, and closed his eyes as he bound his head again. He turned to face the lake again, ‘staring’ silently out over it.