Picking up the thread of a story, Little Voice listened.
She waited.
Eventually...nothing happened.
There was no tug, no resistance.
Nothing.
Little Voice lay the thread down, sighed and sat down. This could take a while.
She watched the thread hoping it would do something. Perhaps, she thought, it will pulse in a little while, I just need to be patient.
But nothing happened for the longest time as she sat and watched and waited.
Except, she pondered, there is something happening to me. It's infinitesimal, almost nothing, but I can feel it.
She picked up the thread again.
Holding it carefully between her hands, she closed her eyes and noticed the changing tide of her low mood. Slowly, oh-so-slowly, she felt the distant pull.
This story was not going to come in with a bang. It was not going to allow itself to be noticed by just anyone. This story was shy.
Little Voice smiled.
It was a reassuring smile and held a warm encouragement in it. She took a step further inside herself, metaphorically speaking, and waited some more.
There now. It's okay. Take your time. I'll wait for you to come closer.
The cursor key blinked repeatedly.
A morse code on the screen flashed out a signal that showed it was ready for action. The action was a momentary shift in awareness where thoughts fade and the observer becomes observed.
Who are you, Little Voice wondered. I can almost see you.
A voice. Not her own little voice but another.
It was soft. Distant. Almost incomprehensible. A vague sigh of a voice like a soft breeze on a summer's day. It held mystery within it as if it was unsure even of itself.
The thread, that Little Voice had been holding, warmed ever so slightly.
A deluge of images rained down and suddenly Little Voice could see the tortured soul of this story.
It, for she could not discern it in any other way, was hiding.
Megalithic stones soared up and somewhere far behind them, etched in the background, indistinct, crouched the protagonist of this thread's story.
Little Voice felt the overwhelming fall of sadness consume her.
This story was ancient; it was hide and seek. This story was separate and alone. Fearful of being found while also desperate in its longing to connect.
Childlike and innocent but somehow aged and withered, it looked back at Little Voice and repeated its query.
No one but yourself.
Little Voice sat and sent the welcoming response through the darkness and the pain like a kiss on the wind between them. It travelled the gulf straight and true.
Reaching its mark, Little Voice felt the thread tug a little and then release.
Time stood still.
The wait seemed endless.
A stand-off where the story considered its options and came up wanting.
A flourish of words filled with pain hit Little Voice hard. A slap of bitterness and misery stung her cheek.
Little Voice felt the sting knowing it was a defensive blow. The thread had become taut in her hand. There was now passion tightening it; it wanted to be released.
That part of your story has ended. I am here now.
I sought you out and found you.
Come closer. You are too distant still.
Little Voice sang a song of experience, her voice trilling high and low. The cadence of her song reverberated and echoed inside the chasm between them.
The story thread pulsed with the song and she saw the creature behind the megalith stand.
Come, live your story.
You no longer need to hide.
Tie your thread with mine. Our two threads can join. We will connect and create new stories together.
Perhaps, we can create a tapestry of our adventures together. But first, come closer.
It's time to bridge that distance between us.
So, using the taut thread as its guide, the protagonist began to advance forward. The distant gap between them growing smaller with each step.
This is my ineligible entry to the Dreem - Word of the Week contest. This is the 3rd round of season 1 and the word is Distant.
Cover Photo by Chris Coe on Unsplash
William Blake's Song of Experience, The Human Abstract is in the public domain. The eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Line breaks were created in Canva using their free elements by me (aka the little voice).
Dreemport banner asset used with permission from @dreemport & @dreemsteem.
I am so touched by your amazing words Miss Jules and I could feel the emotions of the lines. It is like hide and seek but longing to be closer. Perhaps it’s a matter of bridging the gap. There is a point of being closer yet still becoming distant. Just like a single dot that only becomes a line when two or more dots are connected. Despite distance, connections become more meaningful when experiences are shared that create beautiful stories and memories. I enjoyed reading this. Have a wonderful time and take care.
Thank you, @pinkchic for your !Luv ely comment. I love that image of the dot joining another dot to become a line. You have a beautiful way with words and encapsulated this week's Dreem-wotw so well here. I will be popping over to see your submission in due course. But first, I'm off to Dreemport to do my daily five & then submit my non-eligible entry. 💛
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The pleasure is mine Miss Jules. Have a nice time and take care.
Poor story, poor relatable thing. Sometimes I feel like this thread, this lost shy story, fond of the dark but curious about what lies on the shore. The little voice to the rescue, always. Though sometimes futile and unsuccessful in its attempt to rescue the scared, but it is comforting to have it try to lend a hand of encouragement.
I admire the kind persistence of the little voice and for telling the story to be nothing but itself. Well, it is a lost shy story after all, so it should be okay if it never makes it out of the dark, if it runs off again. And what pleasure it would be, for the little voice to win the thread over to the light.
As always, you take me my mind and give it an enchanting spin, Julia. !LUV your mind, always and for ever.
Thank you for blessing us with this thrilling entry and thank you for the gift of the little voice; she’s a rockstar; you’re a rockstar.❤️😘
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Ah, Sugar, I do believe there's a little of that thread - the lost & shy - in all of us. But, when you also have curiosity, you hold the key that can unlock a world full of wonder. Thank you for your connection. It means the world to me. 💛💛💛
Hi @juliamulcahy,
Thank you for participating in the #teamuk curated tag. We have upvoted your quality content.
For more information visit our discord https://discord.gg/8CVx2Am
Thank you as ever, @teamuksupport 💛
This enchanting. I got touched by this.
Ah, that's lovely, @balikis95. It's always nice to know that my words touched someone. Thank you. 💛
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Wow! I feel super grateful for the lovely badge and all those upvotes. Big smile time for me!
You're welcome @juliamulcahy! Have a nice day 😊👍
A great piece Julia, it seems like a metaphor for two people coming together and creating a new chapter together. The lovely imagery adds nicely to the story.
Thanks Steve,. I like the idea of beginning a new chapter. Fits in nicely with the creation of a life story.
Thanks Julia. !CTP
Wonderful use of the word (and concept of) 'distant'. The story is playful as it teasingly tugs at the strings that bind the protagonist and the little voice. The Blake illustration and poem are excellent. It's been a while since I read Songs of Innocence and Experience. It fits nicely in this surreal piece.
As I was writing this piece, William Blake's poetry came to mind so it felt right to include his words. 💛
wow, very cool!
From such little distant threads, amazing stories are woven!
Yes, indeed. We are proof of that as members of both Hive and Dreemport. 💛
Greetings, Julia!
Your story resonates with me. There are so many stories knocking around in my head, yet far distant and connected by only the most tenuous of threads. Though at times they appear in a rush, this tale of yours describes for me the far more common experience of having to tease and coax them into existence on the metaphorical page before me.
Thank you.
😄😇😉
P.S. Thank you also for connecting me to the Blake work... Can you tell me, are the plates also his original artwork as well as his words?
You're very welcome, @creatr. Blake was in every sense the creative being a poet, painter and printmaker.
A bit confusing for me at first though, but I had to re-read. Truly an amazing piece thanks for sharing @dreemport brought me here!
Ah, thank you for taking the time to re-read @khingstan. I hope it made some sense to you by the end. 💛
Reading this, I thought back to the million and one times I tried to hold on to threads of stories. Some would erupt as quickly as they came while others stayed and made no spark at all.
This was clever and so sweet to read.
It's lovely when stories erupt or spark isn't it?
Still, those times when we sit patiently and breathe life into those shy embers can be even more warming to the heart. Thanks for taking the time to read my story. I'm so glad you felt a connection. 💛
It’s like butterflies.
It’s the way you write. There’s magic in it. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my! I just welled up and had to take a deeeeeep breath. Thank you. 💛
What a glorious way to start a new day.
A glowing narration of crossing the distances in our hearts, building bridges across them with teamwork and bravery ❤️Another wonderful story @juliamulcahy, thank you for sharing your take on wotw with us 😁
Thank you for visiting and crossing the bridge with me, @grindan 💛
This was a totally awesome and creative masterpiece @juliamulcahy! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Your little thread is weaving itself in and out of life and Little Voice is looking to close up the distance snugly!!! And now, thanks a lot, now I have this Little Voice telling me to write more hahahahahahaha!!!
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Well, I hope you listen to Little Voice. She can be quite persuasive, you know. Hehe! 💛
oh I felt this Jules. so deeply.
the hiding. not wanting to be told. and so many of them.
I just felt the ... separation? and that bitterness of being unwanted (or the feeling of being unwanted at least)
but so desperately actually WANTING to be wanted. and then... the tautness of the thread!!!!
hehehe i FELT that pulling across my finger and cutting off the circulation from the desperation of the grasp and tug! hehehehe
and then - partners. agreement. taking steps together.
hope replaces futility and being found replaces being forgotten!!!
love!!!!!!!!!!
!Luv you! 💛
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