Nowhere Fox

The comings and goings of my muse

Whenever Nowhere Fox sneaks up on me, my thoughts light up. Ideas vibrate and peel off some ancient crust. I wrestle my surroundings to get hold of a pen or a recording device, then follow my muse into the rabbit hole, not knowing where I’ll end up.

My muse is a feral beast that won’t be tamed or captured and barely tolerates being named. She likes me to notice her absence and never, ever cares about my schedule or plans.

What plans, she howls wistfully in my ear, shaking the stardust off her tail and letting me pick up the scent of a new story. She knows I will follow, that I have no choice but to trace her footprints until the ground slips and I find myself in a different story.

Nowhere Fox has a trunkful of those and I’m only allowed to peek inside from time to time.

Sometimes, she leads me to places of wild overgrowth where stories spring up at the touch of a hand. Then, without any notice, she leaves, just like that, as if we were not on this journey together.

Other times, she brings her torch, the one that lights up to let me know what way to go. Time rides along and speeds up at her will, disregarding reason and the laws of physics, stretching and bending at her will. Nowhere Fox can go anywhere, but prefers places in need of light.

Pst, I can hear her tapping. She’s close now and though I know she can’t stay, maybe this time, she’ll let me carry the torch.

*I created both images above with the help of Midjourney.