My light died, it seems like hours ago, probably just minutes ago and it is black all around. Not the type of black you experience in the depths of a chasm, in a cave hundreds of feet under ground, hours from the entrance, that black is total. No this kind of black is far more sinister, rain and mist conspire with a thick veil of cloud, freeing just enough light from the moon and stars to produce random shadows. Shadows are the devils marionettes dancing the in the darkness, think about it, go into a dark room, close the door, sit on the floor in the middle of the room, close your eyes, just sit there, how long until you opened your eyes? Our fear of the dark is primal, close your eyes, say it "darkness" it is not a word that pleasant things are attached to. And here I am in the forest alone with a perfectly functioning bicycle and no light, I know you should not ride alone, especially at night, I should have a second light as a back up. Reality is few want to ride long hours in winter even fewer at night, and that back up light, well it is all charged up, forgotten, sitting on my work bench. And so here I am. Like a gun fighter, in a corner, my back against a large conifer of some sort, who cares, it has my back. My knees against my chest I sit there my friend at my back. At this moment I am alone.
Alone in the forest, in the darkness, things come out to play, things from within. Yes there are real creatures in this forest that can and just might kill and maybe eat you, bears, cougars, though mostly they area more afraid of you than you are of them. Things that may eat me, I am not afraid of them. My battle is with the three from within, the three foe, of those I am afraid. The three foe that must be overcome, Fear, Doubt, and the darkness within.
This night will be long, and I will press on.
