34: THE LADY AND THE TIGER THE NATURE OF REALITY Please scroll down for description and statement

34.   THE LADY AND THE TIGER -- THE NATURE OF REALITY

The girl, wearing an indigo dress, is seated comfortably with her tiger at the centre of a carousel. The carousel animals are all tigers, going round and round as she watches, impassively.

I wrote the following during writing practice one day:

I hear a slight noise behind me. The tiger. I feel his breath on my neck. I squeeze my eyelids tightly together. I hope it will be short. I hate long goodbyes. I curl up in the fetal position.

Then a shiver runs through my body as I feel a hand--a hand!--on my shoulder. Gently, I uncurl and look to the right. I see a large, smooth, brown hand covered with rings set with precious stones.

I uncurl more and look around. I see, not a tiger, but a magnificent king, a beautiful man, dressed in the skin of a tiger. He is lofty, dark, with shoulder-length black hair. His black eyes are shining.

"I have found you at last," he says softly. He puts his arms around me. I close my eyes and relax.

Then, for a moment, I open my eyes, and the last thing I see in this life is the king of the forest, all orange and black stripes, huge, shining white teeth, gently waving long tail. He inclines his head toward me. I shut my eyes.

Our Death is with us always. Make friends with him. Find out her name.