shire-witch

[shire-witch]

“Falling in love, for me, feels like diving headfirst into a pool without knowing how deep the water is. I leap in without thinking, and it’s only when I can’t swim back to the surface that I realize I’m in trouble. Holding my breath, I stay, despite the bad things I see, hear, and feel. As I lose consciousness from lack of oxygen, I lose myself, suffocating who I am just to appease the other person. After struggling for what feels like forever and nearly hitting rock bottom, I push myself back to the surface. As hard as it may be in that moment, taking that first deep breath of freedom is exhilarating, setting me on a path of peace I haven't felt in a long time.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

“Why is it so hard to find a decent cup of tea around here?" Rhys mutters, setting his cup back onto the saucer with a sigh.

I glance out the window, watching as the rain pounds against the pavement, turning the sidewalks into rivers of rippling puddles.

"Considering we could have been drenched in that downpour, I think we should count ourselves lucky to be here at all," I reply, shooting him a playful smile.

Rhys has a knack for dragging both of us into situations like this, but I have to admit, it’s part of what makes being around him so exhilarating.

"Oh, come on," he chuckles, "am I not allowed to have a refined taste for tea?"

~ Emma K. Dashnaw, Tea and Thunderstorms

[shire-witch]

“Ensnared in an eternal dance of self-reflection, I take two steps forward and one step back—an endless tango of discovery that spirals into a mix of emotions."

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

"There’s a shift in the air—a gentle coolness that beckons you to open your windows at night, inviting the breeze to whisper through. A faintly sweet scent of sap lingers as you inhale, weaving itself around you. Even the dew clings to the grass in the early mornings and late evenings. Best of all, each sunset grows more golden as the weeks pass. This can only mean one thing: autumn is coming!"

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

"I've read that some people feel as though they were born in the wrong time period. But what if I feel like I've been born into the wrong world? I've spent my life escaping reality through books—fantasy, dystopian, even sci-fi—yet my soul longs for a reality that cannot be found here on Earth."

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

“Droplets of condensation lazily glide down my glass, the ice cubes in my drink cracking as they shrink.

I watch this phenomenon as her voice echoes in the background, prattling on about her latest escapade.

Why do I entertain this? I ask myself, keeping my eyes lowered, avoiding her gaze. The other voices affirm her, reiterating their own perspectives on the topic of discussion but I couldn’t care less. I was stuck in this situation and I needed to leave.

———

“Will you come with me tonight?” Lana asked, her face tout with anxiety.

“I guess so, do you know who else is going?” I reply, trying not to be too apparent in my curiosity but very much failing at it. I didn’t like the look on her face. Her normally cheerful expression has turned into a timid smile, whose mouth has become a lockbox of secrets.

“Oh just a few of our other friends, nothing major” she says, looking away.

In the moment I knew, but it was too late to back out. If who I think is going to be there shows up, it would be my first time seeing her since our breakup and the thought of it makes my stomach turn, a feeling of dread washes over me.

———

They often warn about dating one of your friends, and at the time, I scoffed at the advice. What did they know? I used to say. Now, having been through it myself, it’s true. Nothing is worse than breaking up with someone who was once your friend… and someone you share all your friends with. Sure, I could walk away and make new friends but I’ve come to realize I’m a bit of a masochist in that regard.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

“Locked up, caged, a bird ensnared, waiting to be set free. I feel like a prisoner in my skin at times. Suppressing my true identity and potential.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw (E.K.D.)

[shire-witch]

“Night is reserved for the angsty souls of those whose existence relies on yearning. The ones who love to contemplate, brood, debate. Those who appreciate the smallest beauties in existence, and can find a sliver of utter perfection even in the darkest depths of the skies. Rather than a companion, the moon serves as their long lost love, whose touch is both comforting yet distant all at the same time, perpetually the one who got away.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

“An ode to the nocturnal ones, the anguished. Those whose existence relies on darkness to thrive.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

“The moon’s light caresses my face in a way that is so nurturing, I often reserve my sorrows for the night just so I can savor its addicting embrace once more.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

“Regardless of the night’s darkness, a companion waits just beyond the stars. Whether waxing or waning, full or new, the moon’s presence is steadfast and loyal. A true friend to an anguished, nocturnal soul.”

~ Emma K. Dashnaw

[shire-witch]

The Nature of Love:

An essence of yearning envelopes my heart as I stare into the void… or should I say, my phone screen as it remains a silent place, communication has ceased between us. The sun, once bright and beautiful in the sky, now hides behind clouds as to reflect my current dilemma.

What can I do to replenish our bond? Watering our relationship with attention and effort seems only to work for so long before the leaves begin to wither away. Someone suggested relocating, and or digging an even deeper hole for the roots; but, how many memories and long suppressed emotions do I need to resurface before I reach this new level of understanding and meaning?

Is it even worth the effort? If I were to never reach out to you again, would I ever hear back? The truth of this hurts too much to process. So I sit, in my garden, as life passes around me. As the bees pollinate beautiful flowers, and as the trees whisper to one another in the wind. Only when I think love was not meant for me, the sun does appear and warms my soul in a way that I never thought would be possible without them.

Written by Emma K. Dashnaw (Me)