Eyes See When They Are Shut - Rayne Maitner

Eyelids flutter shut like soft petals.

I am encompassed by a familiar darkness,

one made of a burning, shifting static.

The particles of vision fade to a warped clarity

and my feet find the surface of the floorless realm.

I float on, like a ghost, through my dreamlike reality.

The shapes of emotion swirl around me,

twisting and crumpling into distortion.

I want to feel, but I can only witness.

These moving figures take form.

They mold into tall human-like creatures

that are beyond my apprehension.

One extends a swirling golden arm,

reaching for me– beckoning to me.

I lift my phantom hand and reach back.

Before our fingers can entwine,

I fall.

I fall into a great abyss.

                        Going deeper, deeper, deeper…

Visions wrap around me, enclosing me

until I am a cocoon of starlight,

an unbreakable beam of existence.

                        Going further, further, further…

Emotion finds me at last and I stop my descent.

I am filled with an overwhelming love

and wonderful warmth pulses through me.

I feel nothing but love.

I know nothing but light.

I am nothing but–

I gasp, rising from bed.

I am awake,

at last.

---

Rayne Maitner is a sophomore at Western Michigan University, pursuing a double major in graphic design and creative writing. Passionate about visual storytelling, she enjoys exploring the intersection of design and narrative to create impactful, meaningful experiences. While currently unpublished, Rayne is constantly honing her skills in both fields, always seeking fresh, creative ways to send messages out into the world. When she’s not diving into Adobe Illustrator or crafting new characters, you can find her taking nature walks, discovering new herbal teas, or adding yet another houseplant to her growing collection.