I stared out the window
And saw nothing but a light,
Though it tried to show me things
that were mere fancy's flight:
The imaginary asphalt covering
the nonexistent street;
The set of snow-lined sidewalks
where passersby might meet;
The steely spine of a stop-sign;
The spindly barren trees;
All these visions I thought I saw
were light-driven fantasies

But I am awakened by a burning on my cheek and the pitter patter of feet running away.
As I lift my hand to touch my face I feel my arms as lighter as before.
Both of my wrists are bandaged to cover the the scrapes,  cuts and scratches the chains put on me.  
The fire is also on again.  
I quickly turn around and draw myself close to this odd light giving off the heat that warms my body.  
In the distance I see a bridge .
A bridge that goes over a river running free throughout this dark cave .
People.
People like me crawling over this bridge .
Skinny,  worn out,  struggling to pull their selves across towards an opening at the opposite end of the cave.  
But what caused the shadows?
As I look at the wall I an surprised.
Nothing there .
Did my emptiness exaggerate my imagination?
I don't ponder very long before I try to stand.  
My legs,  too weak to hold my body up.
Like every other person I must crawl.
Sliding my body across this rough,  rocky cave closer to the bridge.
I feel my mouth begin to widen across my face.
What is this?  A smile?  I'm happy?
Across the splintery bridge I make eye contact with several others in the same situation.
We smile and continue.  
A light… I see a light!
As adrenaline shoots up my arms move faster.
Getting closer to the end of the cave i glance back once more to where I was once a prisoner.
I see someone standing in front of my fire.  
I look forward,  and when I look back the mysterious person is gone.  
I finally get to the end of the cave and once im out the light shines down and the suns heat is spilled all over my body.
When I look out and see the world for the first time its like nothing ive ever felt before.  
I'm now  on two feet
I hadn't even realized I was.
My life was now going to change.  
This is love,  
This is peace,
This is my **allegory of the cave.