There was no deer in the woods more beautiful than Cress.
He had a coat of pure white. I saw him from across the stream.
No deer had ever done so, but Cress smiled. His rich eyes beckoned me near. What had I done that such a creature would entertain my company? How was I so fortunate?
The closer I drew, the more lovely he became.
He took the final step, and we regarded each other. “You are beautiful,” Cress said.
It was the first time I believed so. Tears filled my eyes. I took joy that, to him, even my tears were beautiful.
He nudged my arm with his cold, white nose.
“Sister in the woods,” he named me. “Travel by my side.”
It hadn't been a question, so I didn't voice an answer. We went together.
Cress led, I followed.
He let me touch his pure-white coat. It was as soft as it appeared.
Cress breathed beauty onto my face. He willed it into my skin. He strengthened me. I grew confident.
Never could I leave him.
We chased each other through the woods. I couldn't tell who fled and who pursued. We created a beautiful, intricate web.
One day I noticed something. Cress never let me walk on his right side.
“Why can I not see?” I asked. “Is your coat too beautiful?”
“It is the same as my left,” he assured with a smile.
The day passed.
At night when we lay under the stars, I set my hand on his shoulder and stroked his coat.
“Does your right side not get jealous? I can touch it as well if you like.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “You know it is the same as my left. It would bore you. You do not wish to see.”
He slept. I felt restless.
The soft ground aided my stealth as I crept around Cress.
I saw his left side. His back. I knelt and saw the tip of his right shoulder.
I gasped.
He awoke and stood: his right side away.
“Your shoulder is wounded!” I cried.
He laughed. “You had a nightmare. Sleep on my side. I will send good dreams.”
“It's bleeding. It looks deep. Let me help you.”
Cress stomped the ground. “There is nothing there.”
“Here, let me show you!” I walked toward his right side, but he stepped away.
Warm, brown eyes stared into mine. “Why don't you trust me?”
Of course I trusted Cress. How could he think I didn't? How could I have given that impression?
“I'm so sorry,” I assured. “Please forgive me.”
He touched my cheek with his. “Of course.”
…
As we walked one afternoon, I fell.
Cress laughed.
Before I stood, I glimpsed his right-front side. His coat was caked in red. It vanished as he turned.
“You're hurt,” I told him. “Come to the stream and I'll help clean your wound.”
Cress appeared angry. “I'm fine.”
“But you're not! Do you not feel it?”
He reared up on hind legs and struck me down.
I didn't speak of it again. We went together.
Cress led, I followed.
The closer I drew, the more frightening he became.
“You are beautiful,” he said.
Never could I leave him.
One day, he tripped. It was an instant, but I saw.
A snow-white coat half-covered in blood and decay.
I reached out. “You can't ignore this! It's killing you!”
Cress chased me through the woods. I fled, but he pursued. He trapped me in a horrible, intricate web.
I tripped beside the water.
I saw him from across the stream.
There was no deer in the woods more beautiful than Cress.
My chin dropped.
The creature in the water looked back. Eyes wizened. Cheeks wet. Strong. Beautiful.
Cress smiled. His rich eyes beckoned me near. “Sister in the woods,” he called. “Travel by my side.”
I lowered my chin, my neck, my shoulders. The creature in the water neared. It smiled. I fell in.
My head above the woods; I breathed.
---
Information about Narcissists. Educate yourselves, and do not get involved.
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He had a coat of pure white. I saw him from across the stream.
No deer had ever done so, but Cress smiled. His rich eyes beckoned me near. What had I done that such a creature would entertain my company? How was I so fortunate?
The closer I drew, the more lovely he became.
He took the final step, and we regarded each other. “You are beautiful,” Cress said.
It was the first time I believed so. Tears filled my eyes. I took joy that, to him, even my tears were beautiful.
He nudged my arm with his cold, white nose.
“Sister in the woods,” he named me. “Travel by my side.”
It hadn't been a question, so I didn't voice an answer. We went together.
Cress led, I followed.
He let me touch his pure-white coat. It was as soft as it appeared.
Cress breathed beauty onto my face. He willed it into my skin. He strengthened me. I grew confident.
Never could I leave him.
We chased each other through the woods. I couldn't tell who fled and who pursued. We created a beautiful, intricate web.
One day I noticed something. Cress never let me walk on his right side.
“Why can I not see?” I asked. “Is your coat too beautiful?”
“It is the same as my left,” he assured with a smile.
The day passed.
At night when we lay under the stars, I set my hand on his shoulder and stroked his coat.
“Does your right side not get jealous? I can touch it as well if you like.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “You know it is the same as my left. It would bore you. You do not wish to see.”
He slept. I felt restless.
The soft ground aided my stealth as I crept around Cress.
I saw his left side. His back. I knelt and saw the tip of his right shoulder.
I gasped.
He awoke and stood: his right side away.
“Your shoulder is wounded!” I cried.
He laughed. “You had a nightmare. Sleep on my side. I will send good dreams.”
“It's bleeding. It looks deep. Let me help you.”
Cress stomped the ground. “There is nothing there.”
“Here, let me show you!” I walked toward his right side, but he stepped away.
Warm, brown eyes stared into mine. “Why don't you trust me?”
Of course I trusted Cress. How could he think I didn't? How could I have given that impression?
“I'm so sorry,” I assured. “Please forgive me.”
He touched my cheek with his. “Of course.”
…
As we walked one afternoon, I fell.
Cress laughed.
Before I stood, I glimpsed his right-front side. His coat was caked in red. It vanished as he turned.
“You're hurt,” I told him. “Come to the stream and I'll help clean your wound.”
Cress appeared angry. “I'm fine.”
“But you're not! Do you not feel it?”
He reared up on hind legs and struck me down.
I didn't speak of it again. We went together.
Cress led, I followed.
The closer I drew, the more frightening he became.
“You are beautiful,” he said.
Never could I leave him.
One day, he tripped. It was an instant, but I saw.
A snow-white coat half-covered in blood and decay.
I reached out. “You can't ignore this! It's killing you!”
Cress chased me through the woods. I fled, but he pursued. He trapped me in a horrible, intricate web.
I tripped beside the water.
I saw him from across the stream.
There was no deer in the woods more beautiful than Cress.
My chin dropped.
The creature in the water looked back. Eyes wizened. Cheeks wet. Strong. Beautiful.
Cress smiled. His rich eyes beckoned me near. “Sister in the woods,” he called. “Travel by my side.”
I lowered my chin, my neck, my shoulders. The creature in the water neared. It smiled. I fell in.
My head above the woods; I breathed.
---
Information about Narcissists. Educate yourselves, and do not get involved.
Huffington Post
WebMD