The Ethereal Green Tunnel - Maiya Gonzales (2022

By Maiya Gonzales

As we skipped through what felt like an endless ethereal tunnel, the light at the end shone brightly through. With every skip, the light became brighter. His hand met every crevasse on my palm, squeezing tightly as if he would never let go. The various layers of green life around us fueled a feeling of warmth under my skin. With every step I took, my feet were tickled by the skinny stems and the floppy leaves of the plants beneath me. The rays of the sun reflected the wall of leaves around me as new shades popped from every corner the sun reached. As I gazed upwards, I could see the old sturdy roots and branches connect to the vines of the leaves that formed tiny holes for light. The fresh breeze brushed upon my face as the still yet vibrant life around us froze us in time. The greens and browns surrounding us started from the bottom of my toes, where I could feel the dirt nestle beneath my toenails, to high above me, where I could feel the warm rays shine down on my head. The sound of stillness broken up by a few chirps and the stomping of our feet filled the air, and the little whistle from the air brushing through the ivy walls sustained a smile on my face. I felt warm and comfortable as I looked over at him and saw the light illuminate his hazel brown eyes. I didn’t want this moment to end, but eventually, we met the bright light at the end of the ethereal green tunnel.