Don’t look back

He’d never quite understood. Don’t look back? How many times had he seen or thought he’d seen those words. Underlined in the newspaper, graffiti on a wall, carved into the bark of tree. Even, sometimes in the clouds!

Why? Don’t look back! It seemed like the obvious thing to do. No matter what, to know where you’ve come from seems like a good idea. So why not? Actually, he’d never taken any notice. In fact, he’d gone out of his way to do the opposite. But there was this nagging feeling. Like a song you couldn’t loose from your mind. The one you always hum, ‘Don’t look back.’ Like a string plucked with an ever present rhythmn,

But today, as he fought his way through the jungle vines, the tune haunted him. It had become real. As he ran, he passed animals, people, flowers, insects. All petrified! Everything, looking back over their shoulders.