These eyes are not mine.
Nor is my will much mine any longer.
As the mountain approaches I quail. A fiery eye fills all my vision. All else fades, even Sam, who is by my side.
I stagger. My spirit burns. There is a pulsing in my chest. The will of the ring dominates my own. My mind flickers, my fingers twitch.
I feel for the ring, willing it to stop, feeling that I have only to put it on and I will be safe. Safe from that maddening pulsing. Safe from the ever watchful eye.
But then I feel Sam's callused hand against my own and the fire fades. My vision is clear. The mountain is in my vision once more. I see the world around me.
That hand is my hold, stopping me from teetering over the brink of corruption. His will binds with my own, and I know I am not alone.
But even the loving touch in that hand cannot wholly save me. I feel another's desire.
I see through other eyes.
Written 12/22/02