あなた wake up under a shady willow with a vague semblance of what あなた had dreamt.
あなた have dozed off again. And no wonder, there is a good book in your lap and your お気に入り songs are still crackling through your earbuds. あなた ought to replace them, they are going bad. あなた pull them out and decide to listen to nature’s 音楽 instead. The soft gurgle of the pond coupled with catkins rustling against each other has always been your お気に入り blend of sounds. Every now and again your ear is filled with the nearly undetectable buzz of a cicada humming past. あなた aren’t quite sure, but あなた think that the last bug to flitter によって may have been a bumblebee in 検索 of a 花 to land upon. The springtime has brought a host of such flowers—lilac, daisy, honeysuckle, a sprinkle of nannyberry, and a dash of virginia rose add pops of color to the lawn. Beneath the 木, ツリー clover and dandelion grow in dense clusters, growing もっと見る sparse as they span away from the tree. Further off in the rolling field is a host of meadowsweet and steeplebush just getting ready to sprout. あなた pluck a clover and twirl it between your fingers.
A リス scrambles down the 木, ツリー and flicks his tail at you. And when あなた go to snap a photo, he has the audacity to toss an acorn at あなた with a chitter before frantically scuttling off. For that reason, あなた preferred the rabbits.
あなた lean back against the 木, ツリー and look at the sky, soon the sound of children laughing overpowers the bird calls and pond babble. Two boys fly kites shaped like dragonflies as a younger girl with blonde pigtails and a サンドレス, サンデンス blows a 雲, クラウド of bubbles. She calls for the boys to come try to catch them before they pop. The boy with the red hair and dinosaur t-shirt tells her that they are too busy. The older boy with the blonde hair tells her to ask Katie. Sooner または later she’d invite a friend over to help her catch 蝶 as she does every Saturday afternoon. But until then she could use some company, so あなた offer to 登録する her. She smiles cheerfully and tells あなた that her name is Louisiana-Piper. あなた tell her yours and say that you’ve never met a girl named Louisiana before. She giggles and hands あなた a bubble wand, instructing あなた on how to use it. あなた keep her entertained until Katie arrives. Just as あなた start to leave, they ask あなた to help them catch バタフライ, 蝶 that has flown out of reach. あなた lose track of time. Eventually the blonde boy, who あなた have come to know is her brother, Parker, calls her to follow him home. Faintly, あなた miss being that young.
あなた pick up your book and watch a sneeze of dandelion seeds take to the air. They coast lazily about, seeking good places to land. あなた mark your page and tuck it safely away in your bag. It is nearly eight thirty but it still not quite dark yet, the days are growing longer and あなた know now that spring is fading away. あなた will miss it of course, but the summer solstice has its own glories that あなた enjoy almost as strongly as vernal ones.
あなた stretch your arms and decide that your time at the park is done for the day. あなた walk ホーム with the twilight in its 秒 stage. There is a deep blue in the sky, pushing the Colors(色) of the sunset down. A few clouds cluster near the drooping sun as a few stars pop into view. あなた feel bad because your parents are probably worried, あなた always seem to spend too much time at the park and arrive ホーム when there’s もっと見る navy in the sky than oranges and golds.
When あなた get ホーム あなた see your mother and her friend just beginning to fold up a picnic blanket. Fleetingly, あなた wonder why they didn’t accompany あなた to the park, the scenery over there was much もっと見る suitable for an outdoor lunch. Your neighbor is also packing away his レモネード stand, he offers あなた a cup. Deciding that it would be a nice way to end a fine May evening, あなた flip him a quarter and take a cup. あなた watch the sun dip completely below the horizon as sugary citrus explodes on your tongue. As the neighbor kid retreats into his house—no doubt rushed によって his father calling him a fourth time—you wander into your back yard. A week または so from now, fireflies will dance in between バタフライ, 蝶 bushes and garden gnomes. あなた think that あなた might catch a few if あなた find the time, but あなた have promised your father that あなた would help put up some summer décor. Your grandmother has been particularly adamant about trying something she’d seen on Pinterest. She has been asking your father to save small jars and bottles so that あなた can make strings of lights of them. She tells him that your grandfather has a knack for such things and can help put it together. Though あなた don’t fancy actually putting the lights up, あなた think that they will add a nice, almost rural, touch to the yard. あなた finish your lemonade. Though the night is early, あなた can hear the yip of a coyote.
あなた look towards the forest just beyond your backyard. Windchimes tinkle behind you, somehow coaxing あなた to recall the days when あなた would chase fae and sing with elves. The days when あなた would swim with nixies in the pond and catch glimpses of ユニコーン in the sunrays that filtered between the leaves. The days when faeries awakened when お花 opened their petals. Just like that あなた remember your dream in full.
Suddenly it doesn’t feel like a dream at all.
あなた look at your hand expecting to see a rope bracelet.
***
あなた leave your bedroom window open with the curtains billowing and casting shadows, the night time has never bothered you. Some people are jarred によって the concept of a forest looming in the background, they think that an open window is an invitation for the shadows to crawl in and wreak havoc. あなた can understand how that would be daunting for some, the forest is a host of odd noises and weird night creatures—uncanny foils to their morning counterparts. But あなた are used to them all.
In fact あなた couldn’t imagine a night without such sounds.
They have lulled あなた to sleep since your coloring book days.
あなた listen to the distant night calls until あなた are almost asleep and just on the brink of a dream. あなた hear a tapping at the window, it doesn’t set in right away that the tapping is not the beginning of a new dream. The tapping persists, but your visitor doesn’t invite itself in just yet. Though pale green fingers curl around the frame, and when あなた come to full wakefulness あなた catch, on the tip of each finger, the teeniest emeralds glistening under the moonlight. The fingers drum against the pane again. Perhaps this is what many fear. But あなた don’t, あなた go to the window as if answering the call of an old companion. The half-imp, half-dryad looks at あなた with eyes of gold, his mossy hair flutters like the curtains. His wings twitter frantically, during their upstrokes they 表示する a gossamer オリーブ color and beating down they display yellower hues. He looks like a 日 rising faery and あなた wonder what he is doing up so late. He drifts away from your window and あなた decide that such is your cue to follow.
あなた consider that あなた are in fact in a dream, that あなた must not have realized that あなた fell asleep. That makes it easier to grab your iPod and slip through the window. The moon is in a late waxing phase, the 月 will end with a full moon. Under its light あなた can see the sparkle of dew drops, they wet the soles of your bare feet. The cricket chirps are a lot clearer now, there is a choir of them but あなた can’t decipher the lyrics. Every now and again a 木, ツリー frog または two will chime in. あなた breathe in the night air; it is fresh, mostly. Mixed in with the damp smell of old leaves is something もっと見る acidic. Just at the border of your yard, where the 草 begins to grow taller and intermingles with clusters of rye, あなた spot small twinkles of light. At first あなた think that they might be fireflies, but it is still too early in the 年 for that. Even if it wasn’t, these tiny orbs glow teal. A long time 前 when あなた still sat on grandmother’s lap, listening to her sing lullabies あなた heard a story. It was a fairy tale that had been passed down for generations, from here is where あなた know what those softly luminescent orbs are.
Despite the stories あなた trek up to the tiny wisps. Once upon a time, in a story far away, these creatures were malevolent, leading the unsuspecting into traitorous parts of the forest. But like most of the faefolk, they have mellowed. There are no もっと見る forlorn creatures and no もっと見る 魔法にかけられて beings, no light nor dark; Ogre and elf, troll and pixie, vampire and stayer, they just want to stay alive and vibrant. あなた hear the windchimes jingle on your patio again. The will-o-wisps buzz around, zipping towards the 木, ツリー line. The imp-dryad seats himself upon one of the wisps and eyes あなた just as curiously as あなた eye him. It must have been centuries since a human older than twelve has acknowledged him または a being like him. Curious indeed.
But the things あなた acknowledge in dreams are different than the ones あなた acknowledge in waking.
As languid as can be, the wisp carries the imp-dryad towards its companions.
So you, after one last peek at your slumbering house, head in the same direction. あなた 愛 the forest after all. It isn’t frightening in the slightest, it is a comfort.
It is home.
あなた pass under a natural arch of old oak. Cedar and pine intertwine with the oaks making the forest diverse and inviting. Their scents mix together and あなた cannot tell which odor belongs to which tree. あなた see a beetle scuttle over the bark and decide not to touch any of the trees. The wisps light your way as あなた traipse about. あなた have been in this very forest for many years—your mother is fond of reminding あなた that she used to take あなた for walks here when あなた were just a babe, she of course, did all of the walking. But this is the first time あなた can think of that あなた have ventured here during the night hours. Under the moon it is familiar in a surreal sense. The trail is accented によって the same sizable rocks that have been there for ages. They didn’t have as much moss when あなた were a child, as they do now. The collection of fungi poking out from under them is new too. From somewhere within the branches of a cedar, an owl hoots. It is mysterious enough and darkly alluring but it is not eerie nor mournful. It is followed によって a higher hoot and then a deeper one that sounds much closer. あなた think that, that third call might have come from the oak 次 to you. あなた squint up at the 木, ツリー but can make out nothing. あなた wish that あなた had brought your flashlight, your iPod’s light will do just well, but it feels somehow less appropriate.
あなた would like to gawk some もっと見る but the swarm of wisps are waiting, あなた don’t know where they are going to lead あなた but あなた don’t want to leave them waiting for too long. For a moment あなた long to dash into the swarm and let those beads of light dance around you, but あなた guess that doing so might be seen as invasive so あなた keep your distance as they lead あなた deeper into the forest. The trees pack themselves もっと見る tightly as あなた trail further in. One might think it would be oppressive, but あなた feel as though the trees in their density offer あなた better protection. によって the time the wisps stop moving あなた find yourself in a clearing. What あなた see throws あなた right back into your childhood and for the first time in ages your imagination has fuel. Dream または not, あなた find yourself in the midst of something あなた know is very special. あなた don’t know the occasion, but celebration is all around you. There is decoration all around. Most of it consists of イチイ and floral garland. あなた see it dangling from branches and wrapped around 木, ツリー trunks, ピンク バラ and デイジー climbs all the way up. In other places wisteria clings to the trees; this spectacle can’t possibly be real as あなた have never seen wisteria in these parts before. But then, you’ve never seen an imp-dryad either. Golden glitter seems to hang in the air, leaving a fine dust on your clothes and in your hair. Everywhere あなた look there are hovering paper lanterns mostly in greens, purples, blues. Upon giving one a gentle tap あなた realize that they are not part of the décor. The delicate being nips at あなた and bobs away, taking its light with it.
あなた find yourself dazzled によって fairy music. A fairy with a harp, a satyr with a pan pipe, and an elf with a hurdy gurdy. There is also a centaur playing an instrument you’ve never seen before that moment. It is silver in make and has a tube-like body. あなた may have taken it for a flute if not for the spindly spines that rise and fall with each note. Many of the pixies, elves, and faeries spin and twirl gracefully to the beat of the song. Bells tied around their ankles tinkle as their dresses of レース and flora swish fluidly about.
あなた can see so many different creatures gathered about. There are a few gnomes intermingling with dwarves and goblins. Further into the forest a few witch covens make conversation with vampires. The 狼男 huddle near the faun. A cluster of talking mice with iridescent 毛皮 skitter at the feet of a winged dog. あなた even glimpse a few miniature dragons. Though lacking in size their scales are magnificent, splayed over their bodies like shiny tie-dye. Most of them boast the Colors(色) of the most breathtaking sunset, some of them ripple in blues, greens, and teals like that of untainted pond water and others have scales of pure silver dipped at the edges in ゴールド dust. Oh, but there is such a variety あなた can’t possibly keep track of it all.
As あなた marvel at the dragons, the elven kin offer あなた berries and diced mushrooms on platters bordered with pinecone scales. Others offer あなた a chance to dance with them. あなた take them up on their offers and dance until あなた are ready to return to your bed.
***
あなた want to go back to the park, but daily tasks call あなた away from it. あなた have a 一覧 of mundane things to do from the laundry to some vacuuming, each task is as dull as the next. Between loads of 発言しました laundry, あなた find yourself picking up some of the clutter あなた let accumulate in your room—better to do it yourself than to wait for your mother to cause a stir over it. As あなた do so, あなた cast longing glances at your book shelf. A few of your お気に入り titles are calling you. The voices of the ones you’ve been meaning to read cry louder. But あなた are forced to ignore them for now. あなた promise that あなた will come back for them when あなた get the chance, even if it’s only a page または two before bed.
Your relief today comes in the form of your father reminding あなた that あなた still have to help him string the lights out around the patio and the in the trees so that your grandma will have something to smile upon. At least with this chore あなた can go out and get some fresh summer air instead of remaining cooped up in your house. So あなた tell him that あなた will be downstairs in just a moment. あなた change from your pajamas into your shorts and your お気に入り summer tee. You’re dad is already outside, getting a head start on the task, によって the time あなた have finished dressing.
As あなた work to put up the first strand, あなた peer into the forest. Your dream from about a week 前 comes back to the surface.
A swarm of gnats play in the tall 草 near where the forest opens up. And a family of 蝶 flutter around its natural oak entrance, where vines and something that looks like wisteria dangle down. A generous amount of sunlight casts itself upon the spot. It looks simply enchanting and as majestic as a forest ought to. Ivy curls around trumpet vine and creeps up the bark of the oak. Those little オレンジ お花 are exactly the kind that would house a teeny fairy baby.
And for a moment あなた believe again.
For no other reason than to humor yourself, あなた stray from the strand of lights and motion to peel a petal back. But before あなた get the chance to peep into the 花 your father beckons あなた to stay on task as your grandparents would arrive any 分 now. あなた sigh, the 花 and the fantasies it brings will have to wait. A lady bug with a shell like a dotted red pearl springs from the trumpet flower. As a child あなた used to chase them around the yard, letting them crawl along your fingers. あなた climb back atop your ladder and finish weaving the strand of homemade lights through the branches. あなた step down to admire your work. Between yourself and your father, the new decorations are looking pretty spiffy. The two of あなた keep up until all of the trees in your yard get their share. In the daylight they look like ordinary jars but once あなた plug them in, they will look as mystical as everything else in the garden. あなた are eager for night just so that あなた can see the full glory of your work. Briefly あなた consider that it would have been もっと見る suiting to set candles in each jar instead of a bulb, あなた vocalize this to your father. He disagrees, stating that doing so would be too tedious and time consuming anyhow. As あなた are about to leave, he asks あなた if あなた will help him clean the gutters. It is a task he has been neglecting for months now and your mother has been arguing with him to get it done. Deciding that あなた don’t want to hear it again, あなた agree. あなた might as well seeing as most of today has been eaten up によって housework anyhow.
The 次 morning is even less thrilling. It starts with the bleating of your alarm clock, stealing あなた away from a pretty dream and thrusting あなた harshly back into real life. It would be less irritating if a long 日 of work wasn’t in store for you. あなた tug your uniform on and have a quick breakfast of two パンケーキ and some 林檎, アップル juice. あなた grab your car keys and head out. Your car is nice enough, あなた suppose, it treats あなた well and gets あなた where あなた need to go. That’s all あなた can ask of it. あなた arrive at work, a quaint little local coffee shop. Mostly it isn’t bad but there are some days when あなた would rather curl up under one of those gaudy ピンク and オリーブ green striped tables and never come out. On those days あなた yearn for the simplicity of childhood. The time when あなた didn’t have to worry about Matilda and her ridiculously complicated orders and the hissy fits she throws when her latte isn’t done exactly right. あなた have never come across someone so picky. Today is one of those days where she is screeching at あなた because your coworker ‘didn’t heat it properly’. Your boss intervenes offering her a new one on the house, if for no other reason than to calm her tantrum. あなた wish that she wouldn’t cave like that, but あなた don’t say anything lest あなた precure Matilda’s wrath again.
It is late when あなた get home, so あなた go upstairs and try to write. But no stories come to your head, so あなた opt to surf the web instead, that comes naturally. Such is how it has been for a while now, all of your soul wants to put the pencil to the paper but no words seem to come and when they do they just don’t sound right. They don’t flow how they used to. あなた click around for a bit and try to recall past ideas that あなた never got around to 書く but あなた can’t think of any. あなた check your emails and watch a few videos. あなた have another idea, あなた begin flipping through your journal for stories that あなた have never finished. No inspiration comes from there either, though あなた have some pretty solid stories started あなた have no idea where to take them. あなた also fear that your 書く has become lackluster and will ruin something that looks so good. Finally frustrated out of your mind, あなた put the journal away wondering where your ミューズ had fled to as あなた frantically give one last attempt to collect the visages of your past creativity. When that fails too, あなた retreat to your ベッド with a faint hope that perhaps your dreams will offer あなた some new material, but lately あなた have been struggling to recollect their content.
Work keeps あなた busy for the days to come and あなた don’t get a chance to go to the park until the 秒 week of June. It has been too long, watching fireflies blink in your yard just doesn’t cut it. So at the first chance あなた get, あなた grab a book, your journal, and your bike and あなた set off. Despite the summer crowd, your お気に入り spot under the willow, the spot where you’d first put your journal to use, is unoccupied. Maybe sitting in your お気に入り spot again and enjoying nature’s energy will kindle your creative vibes. The field before あなた now shows off delicate ピンク azalea, white tri-petaled trillium, and the sunny yellow of daffodil. Near the スイング set, before 草 turns to woodchip, a viburnum shrub has finally exploded with teeny white blossoms. The air is pleasantly hot as あなた tap あなた pencil onto the paper of your journal.
***
あなた are lost, terribly so. It might not have been so bad except for the rain. The world around あなた has a grey tinge to it and あなた wonder if your family has noticed your absence. Really, all あなた intended was to have a quick walk. The family reunion has been pleasant enough so far, but it is crowded and あなた wanted to get a break from aunts with no sense of personal 宇宙 and overly loud uncles made louder によって a few cans of beer. The nature reserve the reunion was being held at is a charming place; the ground is lined with toadstools and clover. To the left a field of rye bobs up and down under the spell of the summer breeze. Your family had made good work of the small trees, tying white レース to their branches and sprinkling faux diamond scatter at their feet. あなた had watched dark clouds gather at the corner of the sky, all the while, the forest path was calling you. It had been calling あなた since あなた arrived. After an offhanded joke によって uncle Marvin, あなた decided that it was time to make your get away. あなた probably should have told your parents あなた were stepping out for a bit または at the very least あなた should have invited your cousin to tag along, she knows the area well. But あなた didn’t think to do so and now あなた are ロスト in some forest of red メープル, カエデ and black birch in Connecticut, states away from your ホーム in Maine. It was wonderful at first, the sprinkle hadn’t yet turned into an all-out rainfall and あなた remembered to take your camera along so あなた had managed to snap a few 写真 of the sweepy leaves of a hemlock 木, ツリー spotted with raindrops. The fluff of cottonwood fell upon あなた with the raindrops giving the forest a rather fantastical allure. And because of the drizzle, many of the もっと見る annoying insects had fled. That should have been your first clue that あなた were walking into a storm, instead あなた felt relieved that あなた didn’t have to swat at gnats the whole time. あなた caught some of the fluff and put it in your pocket, あなた don’t yet know what あなた will use it for, but it seems like a nice thing to have. Something else caught your eye, a glistening in the bushes. When あなた stooped down to see what it was, あなた were disappointed to find a shard of a broken bottle. The rest of the thing like shattered a few feet away, marring an otherwise pristine view.
All of these things are what have distracted あなた to the point of not being able to find your way back to the reserve.
Instead あなた came out at the edge of an old steel mill. This is where あなた stand now, at the edge of the forest, gazing at the ugly thing that nature is trying its best to reclaim. Its abandoned and in shambles but it has already done its damage. The structure is a tangle of rusting metal tubes and pipes, the kind that had inevitably, during their running days, hacked out enough smog to anger even the smokiest dragon. As of late these tubes and pipes have been conquered によって creeping ivy, あなた are pleased to see that the green tangle seems to be strangling the gaudy things. Rising from the 上, ページのトップへ are smoke stakes of various sizes in various states of corrosion and decay. あなた can see cracks in the fixtures. It isn’t your usual material, but あなた take a quick picture regardless. As あなた wander closer the ground becomes progressively trashier. The mill had vomited up screws, cogs, and scraps of unused metal. Broken steel beams hang precariously in the entryway. Curiosity gets the best of あなた though and あなた are inside before your brain sounds the warning bells. The 宇宙 is wide and ugly, the roof is a kaleidoscope of long dead pipes, crossbeams, and steel pillars with nuts and bolts bigger than your face. A few of the pipes that waterfall down the ウォール sport pressure gauges and wheels used to open and shut the ventilation system. There is a power panel on the opposite ウォール in which the ivy made its way in. 草 burst through cracks in the decomposing floor and curled around levers and metal spokes. The windows too are cracked, some to the point where they have holes. あなた are most appalled though, によって the miniature generator in the corner and its cluster of uranium fuel rods. あなた remove yourself from the industrial jungle as quickly as あなた had entered it.
あなた continue down the road, trying to put some distance between yourself and the daunting mill. The rain is coming down in sheets now, coaxing the mist to thicken. In no longer eddies around your ankles, but blots out a good portion of your vision. あなた hope that the rest of your family has made it inside safely. あなた see figures poking through the mist—wooden skeletons that range in height from waist level to towering above your head. They are trees, あなた realize, または what’s left of them. They jut out of the ground like jagged fingers. The ground beneath them is a mess of twigs, crunchy leaves, flakes of bark, and sawdust. The remains of something that was once so breathtakingly powerful. The mist flows from their husks mournfully. あなた take your camera out and hastily capture the somber display before the rain can damage it. あなた can see a saw blade burrowed into one of the trees, あなた walk closer intent on pulling the blade out.
As あなた edge nearer, the air seems to glimmer and distorted as if someone has draped seran ラップ over the landscape.
あなた have dozed off again. And no wonder, there is a good book in your lap and your お気に入り songs are still crackling through your earbuds. あなた ought to replace them, they are going bad. あなた pull them out and decide to listen to nature’s 音楽 instead. The soft gurgle of the pond coupled with catkins rustling against each other has always been your お気に入り blend of sounds. Every now and again your ear is filled with the nearly undetectable buzz of a cicada humming past. あなた aren’t quite sure, but あなた think that the last bug to flitter によって may have been a bumblebee in 検索 of a 花 to land upon. The springtime has brought a host of such flowers—lilac, daisy, honeysuckle, a sprinkle of nannyberry, and a dash of virginia rose add pops of color to the lawn. Beneath the 木, ツリー clover and dandelion grow in dense clusters, growing もっと見る sparse as they span away from the tree. Further off in the rolling field is a host of meadowsweet and steeplebush just getting ready to sprout. あなた pluck a clover and twirl it between your fingers.
A リス scrambles down the 木, ツリー and flicks his tail at you. And when あなた go to snap a photo, he has the audacity to toss an acorn at あなた with a chitter before frantically scuttling off. For that reason, あなた preferred the rabbits.
あなた lean back against the 木, ツリー and look at the sky, soon the sound of children laughing overpowers the bird calls and pond babble. Two boys fly kites shaped like dragonflies as a younger girl with blonde pigtails and a サンドレス, サンデンス blows a 雲, クラウド of bubbles. She calls for the boys to come try to catch them before they pop. The boy with the red hair and dinosaur t-shirt tells her that they are too busy. The older boy with the blonde hair tells her to ask Katie. Sooner または later she’d invite a friend over to help her catch 蝶 as she does every Saturday afternoon. But until then she could use some company, so あなた offer to 登録する her. She smiles cheerfully and tells あなた that her name is Louisiana-Piper. あなた tell her yours and say that you’ve never met a girl named Louisiana before. She giggles and hands あなた a bubble wand, instructing あなた on how to use it. あなた keep her entertained until Katie arrives. Just as あなた start to leave, they ask あなた to help them catch バタフライ, 蝶 that has flown out of reach. あなた lose track of time. Eventually the blonde boy, who あなた have come to know is her brother, Parker, calls her to follow him home. Faintly, あなた miss being that young.
あなた pick up your book and watch a sneeze of dandelion seeds take to the air. They coast lazily about, seeking good places to land. あなた mark your page and tuck it safely away in your bag. It is nearly eight thirty but it still not quite dark yet, the days are growing longer and あなた know now that spring is fading away. あなた will miss it of course, but the summer solstice has its own glories that あなた enjoy almost as strongly as vernal ones.
あなた stretch your arms and decide that your time at the park is done for the day. あなた walk ホーム with the twilight in its 秒 stage. There is a deep blue in the sky, pushing the Colors(色) of the sunset down. A few clouds cluster near the drooping sun as a few stars pop into view. あなた feel bad because your parents are probably worried, あなた always seem to spend too much time at the park and arrive ホーム when there’s もっと見る navy in the sky than oranges and golds.
When あなた get ホーム あなた see your mother and her friend just beginning to fold up a picnic blanket. Fleetingly, あなた wonder why they didn’t accompany あなた to the park, the scenery over there was much もっと見る suitable for an outdoor lunch. Your neighbor is also packing away his レモネード stand, he offers あなた a cup. Deciding that it would be a nice way to end a fine May evening, あなた flip him a quarter and take a cup. あなた watch the sun dip completely below the horizon as sugary citrus explodes on your tongue. As the neighbor kid retreats into his house—no doubt rushed によって his father calling him a fourth time—you wander into your back yard. A week または so from now, fireflies will dance in between バタフライ, 蝶 bushes and garden gnomes. あなた think that あなた might catch a few if あなた find the time, but あなた have promised your father that あなた would help put up some summer décor. Your grandmother has been particularly adamant about trying something she’d seen on Pinterest. She has been asking your father to save small jars and bottles so that あなた can make strings of lights of them. She tells him that your grandfather has a knack for such things and can help put it together. Though あなた don’t fancy actually putting the lights up, あなた think that they will add a nice, almost rural, touch to the yard. あなた finish your lemonade. Though the night is early, あなた can hear the yip of a coyote.
あなた look towards the forest just beyond your backyard. Windchimes tinkle behind you, somehow coaxing あなた to recall the days when あなた would chase fae and sing with elves. The days when あなた would swim with nixies in the pond and catch glimpses of ユニコーン in the sunrays that filtered between the leaves. The days when faeries awakened when お花 opened their petals. Just like that あなた remember your dream in full.
Suddenly it doesn’t feel like a dream at all.
あなた look at your hand expecting to see a rope bracelet.
***
あなた leave your bedroom window open with the curtains billowing and casting shadows, the night time has never bothered you. Some people are jarred によって the concept of a forest looming in the background, they think that an open window is an invitation for the shadows to crawl in and wreak havoc. あなた can understand how that would be daunting for some, the forest is a host of odd noises and weird night creatures—uncanny foils to their morning counterparts. But あなた are used to them all.
In fact あなた couldn’t imagine a night without such sounds.
They have lulled あなた to sleep since your coloring book days.
あなた listen to the distant night calls until あなた are almost asleep and just on the brink of a dream. あなた hear a tapping at the window, it doesn’t set in right away that the tapping is not the beginning of a new dream. The tapping persists, but your visitor doesn’t invite itself in just yet. Though pale green fingers curl around the frame, and when あなた come to full wakefulness あなた catch, on the tip of each finger, the teeniest emeralds glistening under the moonlight. The fingers drum against the pane again. Perhaps this is what many fear. But あなた don’t, あなた go to the window as if answering the call of an old companion. The half-imp, half-dryad looks at あなた with eyes of gold, his mossy hair flutters like the curtains. His wings twitter frantically, during their upstrokes they 表示する a gossamer オリーブ color and beating down they display yellower hues. He looks like a 日 rising faery and あなた wonder what he is doing up so late. He drifts away from your window and あなた decide that such is your cue to follow.
あなた consider that あなた are in fact in a dream, that あなた must not have realized that あなた fell asleep. That makes it easier to grab your iPod and slip through the window. The moon is in a late waxing phase, the 月 will end with a full moon. Under its light あなた can see the sparkle of dew drops, they wet the soles of your bare feet. The cricket chirps are a lot clearer now, there is a choir of them but あなた can’t decipher the lyrics. Every now and again a 木, ツリー frog または two will chime in. あなた breathe in the night air; it is fresh, mostly. Mixed in with the damp smell of old leaves is something もっと見る acidic. Just at the border of your yard, where the 草 begins to grow taller and intermingles with clusters of rye, あなた spot small twinkles of light. At first あなた think that they might be fireflies, but it is still too early in the 年 for that. Even if it wasn’t, these tiny orbs glow teal. A long time 前 when あなた still sat on grandmother’s lap, listening to her sing lullabies あなた heard a story. It was a fairy tale that had been passed down for generations, from here is where あなた know what those softly luminescent orbs are.
Despite the stories あなた trek up to the tiny wisps. Once upon a time, in a story far away, these creatures were malevolent, leading the unsuspecting into traitorous parts of the forest. But like most of the faefolk, they have mellowed. There are no もっと見る forlorn creatures and no もっと見る 魔法にかけられて beings, no light nor dark; Ogre and elf, troll and pixie, vampire and stayer, they just want to stay alive and vibrant. あなた hear the windchimes jingle on your patio again. The will-o-wisps buzz around, zipping towards the 木, ツリー line. The imp-dryad seats himself upon one of the wisps and eyes あなた just as curiously as あなた eye him. It must have been centuries since a human older than twelve has acknowledged him または a being like him. Curious indeed.
But the things あなた acknowledge in dreams are different than the ones あなた acknowledge in waking.
As languid as can be, the wisp carries the imp-dryad towards its companions.
So you, after one last peek at your slumbering house, head in the same direction. あなた 愛 the forest after all. It isn’t frightening in the slightest, it is a comfort.
It is home.
あなた pass under a natural arch of old oak. Cedar and pine intertwine with the oaks making the forest diverse and inviting. Their scents mix together and あなた cannot tell which odor belongs to which tree. あなた see a beetle scuttle over the bark and decide not to touch any of the trees. The wisps light your way as あなた traipse about. あなた have been in this very forest for many years—your mother is fond of reminding あなた that she used to take あなた for walks here when あなた were just a babe, she of course, did all of the walking. But this is the first time あなた can think of that あなた have ventured here during the night hours. Under the moon it is familiar in a surreal sense. The trail is accented によって the same sizable rocks that have been there for ages. They didn’t have as much moss when あなた were a child, as they do now. The collection of fungi poking out from under them is new too. From somewhere within the branches of a cedar, an owl hoots. It is mysterious enough and darkly alluring but it is not eerie nor mournful. It is followed によって a higher hoot and then a deeper one that sounds much closer. あなた think that, that third call might have come from the oak 次 to you. あなた squint up at the 木, ツリー but can make out nothing. あなた wish that あなた had brought your flashlight, your iPod’s light will do just well, but it feels somehow less appropriate.
あなた would like to gawk some もっと見る but the swarm of wisps are waiting, あなた don’t know where they are going to lead あなた but あなた don’t want to leave them waiting for too long. For a moment あなた long to dash into the swarm and let those beads of light dance around you, but あなた guess that doing so might be seen as invasive so あなた keep your distance as they lead あなた deeper into the forest. The trees pack themselves もっと見る tightly as あなた trail further in. One might think it would be oppressive, but あなた feel as though the trees in their density offer あなた better protection. によって the time the wisps stop moving あなた find yourself in a clearing. What あなた see throws あなた right back into your childhood and for the first time in ages your imagination has fuel. Dream または not, あなた find yourself in the midst of something あなた know is very special. あなた don’t know the occasion, but celebration is all around you. There is decoration all around. Most of it consists of イチイ and floral garland. あなた see it dangling from branches and wrapped around 木, ツリー trunks, ピンク バラ and デイジー climbs all the way up. In other places wisteria clings to the trees; this spectacle can’t possibly be real as あなた have never seen wisteria in these parts before. But then, you’ve never seen an imp-dryad either. Golden glitter seems to hang in the air, leaving a fine dust on your clothes and in your hair. Everywhere あなた look there are hovering paper lanterns mostly in greens, purples, blues. Upon giving one a gentle tap あなた realize that they are not part of the décor. The delicate being nips at あなた and bobs away, taking its light with it.
あなた find yourself dazzled によって fairy music. A fairy with a harp, a satyr with a pan pipe, and an elf with a hurdy gurdy. There is also a centaur playing an instrument you’ve never seen before that moment. It is silver in make and has a tube-like body. あなた may have taken it for a flute if not for the spindly spines that rise and fall with each note. Many of the pixies, elves, and faeries spin and twirl gracefully to the beat of the song. Bells tied around their ankles tinkle as their dresses of レース and flora swish fluidly about.
あなた can see so many different creatures gathered about. There are a few gnomes intermingling with dwarves and goblins. Further into the forest a few witch covens make conversation with vampires. The 狼男 huddle near the faun. A cluster of talking mice with iridescent 毛皮 skitter at the feet of a winged dog. あなた even glimpse a few miniature dragons. Though lacking in size their scales are magnificent, splayed over their bodies like shiny tie-dye. Most of them boast the Colors(色) of the most breathtaking sunset, some of them ripple in blues, greens, and teals like that of untainted pond water and others have scales of pure silver dipped at the edges in ゴールド dust. Oh, but there is such a variety あなた can’t possibly keep track of it all.
As あなた marvel at the dragons, the elven kin offer あなた berries and diced mushrooms on platters bordered with pinecone scales. Others offer あなた a chance to dance with them. あなた take them up on their offers and dance until あなた are ready to return to your bed.
***
あなた want to go back to the park, but daily tasks call あなた away from it. あなた have a 一覧 of mundane things to do from the laundry to some vacuuming, each task is as dull as the next. Between loads of 発言しました laundry, あなた find yourself picking up some of the clutter あなた let accumulate in your room—better to do it yourself than to wait for your mother to cause a stir over it. As あなた do so, あなた cast longing glances at your book shelf. A few of your お気に入り titles are calling you. The voices of the ones you’ve been meaning to read cry louder. But あなた are forced to ignore them for now. あなた promise that あなた will come back for them when あなた get the chance, even if it’s only a page または two before bed.
Your relief today comes in the form of your father reminding あなた that あなた still have to help him string the lights out around the patio and the in the trees so that your grandma will have something to smile upon. At least with this chore あなた can go out and get some fresh summer air instead of remaining cooped up in your house. So あなた tell him that あなた will be downstairs in just a moment. あなた change from your pajamas into your shorts and your お気に入り summer tee. You’re dad is already outside, getting a head start on the task, によって the time あなた have finished dressing.
As あなた work to put up the first strand, あなた peer into the forest. Your dream from about a week 前 comes back to the surface.
A swarm of gnats play in the tall 草 near where the forest opens up. And a family of 蝶 flutter around its natural oak entrance, where vines and something that looks like wisteria dangle down. A generous amount of sunlight casts itself upon the spot. It looks simply enchanting and as majestic as a forest ought to. Ivy curls around trumpet vine and creeps up the bark of the oak. Those little オレンジ お花 are exactly the kind that would house a teeny fairy baby.
And for a moment あなた believe again.
For no other reason than to humor yourself, あなた stray from the strand of lights and motion to peel a petal back. But before あなた get the chance to peep into the 花 your father beckons あなた to stay on task as your grandparents would arrive any 分 now. あなた sigh, the 花 and the fantasies it brings will have to wait. A lady bug with a shell like a dotted red pearl springs from the trumpet flower. As a child あなた used to chase them around the yard, letting them crawl along your fingers. あなた climb back atop your ladder and finish weaving the strand of homemade lights through the branches. あなた step down to admire your work. Between yourself and your father, the new decorations are looking pretty spiffy. The two of あなた keep up until all of the trees in your yard get their share. In the daylight they look like ordinary jars but once あなた plug them in, they will look as mystical as everything else in the garden. あなた are eager for night just so that あなた can see the full glory of your work. Briefly あなた consider that it would have been もっと見る suiting to set candles in each jar instead of a bulb, あなた vocalize this to your father. He disagrees, stating that doing so would be too tedious and time consuming anyhow. As あなた are about to leave, he asks あなた if あなた will help him clean the gutters. It is a task he has been neglecting for months now and your mother has been arguing with him to get it done. Deciding that あなた don’t want to hear it again, あなた agree. あなた might as well seeing as most of today has been eaten up によって housework anyhow.
The 次 morning is even less thrilling. It starts with the bleating of your alarm clock, stealing あなた away from a pretty dream and thrusting あなた harshly back into real life. It would be less irritating if a long 日 of work wasn’t in store for you. あなた tug your uniform on and have a quick breakfast of two パンケーキ and some 林檎, アップル juice. あなた grab your car keys and head out. Your car is nice enough, あなた suppose, it treats あなた well and gets あなた where あなた need to go. That’s all あなた can ask of it. あなた arrive at work, a quaint little local coffee shop. Mostly it isn’t bad but there are some days when あなた would rather curl up under one of those gaudy ピンク and オリーブ green striped tables and never come out. On those days あなた yearn for the simplicity of childhood. The time when あなた didn’t have to worry about Matilda and her ridiculously complicated orders and the hissy fits she throws when her latte isn’t done exactly right. あなた have never come across someone so picky. Today is one of those days where she is screeching at あなた because your coworker ‘didn’t heat it properly’. Your boss intervenes offering her a new one on the house, if for no other reason than to calm her tantrum. あなた wish that she wouldn’t cave like that, but あなた don’t say anything lest あなた precure Matilda’s wrath again.
It is late when あなた get home, so あなた go upstairs and try to write. But no stories come to your head, so あなた opt to surf the web instead, that comes naturally. Such is how it has been for a while now, all of your soul wants to put the pencil to the paper but no words seem to come and when they do they just don’t sound right. They don’t flow how they used to. あなた click around for a bit and try to recall past ideas that あなた never got around to 書く but あなた can’t think of any. あなた check your emails and watch a few videos. あなた have another idea, あなた begin flipping through your journal for stories that あなた have never finished. No inspiration comes from there either, though あなた have some pretty solid stories started あなた have no idea where to take them. あなた also fear that your 書く has become lackluster and will ruin something that looks so good. Finally frustrated out of your mind, あなた put the journal away wondering where your ミューズ had fled to as あなた frantically give one last attempt to collect the visages of your past creativity. When that fails too, あなた retreat to your ベッド with a faint hope that perhaps your dreams will offer あなた some new material, but lately あなた have been struggling to recollect their content.
Work keeps あなた busy for the days to come and あなた don’t get a chance to go to the park until the 秒 week of June. It has been too long, watching fireflies blink in your yard just doesn’t cut it. So at the first chance あなた get, あなた grab a book, your journal, and your bike and あなた set off. Despite the summer crowd, your お気に入り spot under the willow, the spot where you’d first put your journal to use, is unoccupied. Maybe sitting in your お気に入り spot again and enjoying nature’s energy will kindle your creative vibes. The field before あなた now shows off delicate ピンク azalea, white tri-petaled trillium, and the sunny yellow of daffodil. Near the スイング set, before 草 turns to woodchip, a viburnum shrub has finally exploded with teeny white blossoms. The air is pleasantly hot as あなた tap あなた pencil onto the paper of your journal.
***
あなた are lost, terribly so. It might not have been so bad except for the rain. The world around あなた has a grey tinge to it and あなた wonder if your family has noticed your absence. Really, all あなた intended was to have a quick walk. The family reunion has been pleasant enough so far, but it is crowded and あなた wanted to get a break from aunts with no sense of personal 宇宙 and overly loud uncles made louder によって a few cans of beer. The nature reserve the reunion was being held at is a charming place; the ground is lined with toadstools and clover. To the left a field of rye bobs up and down under the spell of the summer breeze. Your family had made good work of the small trees, tying white レース to their branches and sprinkling faux diamond scatter at their feet. あなた had watched dark clouds gather at the corner of the sky, all the while, the forest path was calling you. It had been calling あなた since あなた arrived. After an offhanded joke によって uncle Marvin, あなた decided that it was time to make your get away. あなた probably should have told your parents あなた were stepping out for a bit または at the very least あなた should have invited your cousin to tag along, she knows the area well. But あなた didn’t think to do so and now あなた are ロスト in some forest of red メープル, カエデ and black birch in Connecticut, states away from your ホーム in Maine. It was wonderful at first, the sprinkle hadn’t yet turned into an all-out rainfall and あなた remembered to take your camera along so あなた had managed to snap a few 写真 of the sweepy leaves of a hemlock 木, ツリー spotted with raindrops. The fluff of cottonwood fell upon あなた with the raindrops giving the forest a rather fantastical allure. And because of the drizzle, many of the もっと見る annoying insects had fled. That should have been your first clue that あなた were walking into a storm, instead あなた felt relieved that あなた didn’t have to swat at gnats the whole time. あなた caught some of the fluff and put it in your pocket, あなた don’t yet know what あなた will use it for, but it seems like a nice thing to have. Something else caught your eye, a glistening in the bushes. When あなた stooped down to see what it was, あなた were disappointed to find a shard of a broken bottle. The rest of the thing like shattered a few feet away, marring an otherwise pristine view.
All of these things are what have distracted あなた to the point of not being able to find your way back to the reserve.
Instead あなた came out at the edge of an old steel mill. This is where あなた stand now, at the edge of the forest, gazing at the ugly thing that nature is trying its best to reclaim. Its abandoned and in shambles but it has already done its damage. The structure is a tangle of rusting metal tubes and pipes, the kind that had inevitably, during their running days, hacked out enough smog to anger even the smokiest dragon. As of late these tubes and pipes have been conquered によって creeping ivy, あなた are pleased to see that the green tangle seems to be strangling the gaudy things. Rising from the 上, ページのトップへ are smoke stakes of various sizes in various states of corrosion and decay. あなた can see cracks in the fixtures. It isn’t your usual material, but あなた take a quick picture regardless. As あなた wander closer the ground becomes progressively trashier. The mill had vomited up screws, cogs, and scraps of unused metal. Broken steel beams hang precariously in the entryway. Curiosity gets the best of あなた though and あなた are inside before your brain sounds the warning bells. The 宇宙 is wide and ugly, the roof is a kaleidoscope of long dead pipes, crossbeams, and steel pillars with nuts and bolts bigger than your face. A few of the pipes that waterfall down the ウォール sport pressure gauges and wheels used to open and shut the ventilation system. There is a power panel on the opposite ウォール in which the ivy made its way in. 草 burst through cracks in the decomposing floor and curled around levers and metal spokes. The windows too are cracked, some to the point where they have holes. あなた are most appalled though, によって the miniature generator in the corner and its cluster of uranium fuel rods. あなた remove yourself from the industrial jungle as quickly as あなた had entered it.
あなた continue down the road, trying to put some distance between yourself and the daunting mill. The rain is coming down in sheets now, coaxing the mist to thicken. In no longer eddies around your ankles, but blots out a good portion of your vision. あなた hope that the rest of your family has made it inside safely. あなた see figures poking through the mist—wooden skeletons that range in height from waist level to towering above your head. They are trees, あなた realize, または what’s left of them. They jut out of the ground like jagged fingers. The ground beneath them is a mess of twigs, crunchy leaves, flakes of bark, and sawdust. The remains of something that was once so breathtakingly powerful. The mist flows from their husks mournfully. あなた take your camera out and hastily capture the somber display before the rain can damage it. あなた can see a saw blade burrowed into one of the trees, あなた walk closer intent on pulling the blade out.
As あなた edge nearer, the air seems to glimmer and distorted as if someone has draped seran ラップ over the landscape.
Ms. Farogonda asked for the winx to come down to her office. when the winx reached ms. farogonda's office she told them that diana wants to speak wth one of you. she didnt tell me who but she told me to pick two extras. ms. farogonda can i go, bloom asked her. flora will be going along with musa and aisha ms farogonda told them. hmph bloom pouted, can we at least go with them bloom 発言しました quikly. fine all of あなた girls can go and im bringing the specialist. ok stella 発言しました in a sing song voice. lets go 発言しました the winx. they met the RF boys outside and went in the owl. winx: WINX BELIEVIX
AT THE アマゾン
flora: let's get going
aisha: see ya winx
bloom: meet back here in an 時 k
ok bloom musa said
( diana appears in front of them)
GUARDS take them away
what??!
(to be continued)
AT THE アマゾン
flora: let's get going
aisha: see ya winx
bloom: meet back here in an 時 k
ok bloom musa said
( diana appears in front of them)
GUARDS take them away
what??!
(to be continued)
Tears,
a combination of helplessness and anger,
a combination of joy and gratitude.
what different meanings it holds!
sometimes of love,
sometimes of hate.
with what different feelings we cry!
but those tears are the same.
they dwell inside the eye,
ready to attack,
the peace of our heart.
to flood the face,
with undoubted 愛 and care,
with undoubted anger and hate,
with undoubted pain and despair.
pain? yes, and despair too!
the breakdown of our heart,
the dawn of the truth,
leading to flood the face,
with our sentiments undoubted.
It’s the color of you
あなた always wore it
It’s the color we shared
As we hid from them
With it we showed our true selves,
Though no one cared
Our オレンジ book bags
Were our shields from some of the pain
We protected each other
But it wasn’t enough
We were like two オレンジ crayons
When everyone else was green
Then あなた left me alone,
All I had was our color orange
As they hit me
I took peace in knowing
あなた were in the オレンジ field in the sky
あなた always 発言しました was there.
The オレンジ of the sun set
Is your smile
Even though あなた left too soon
Orange…
Now it’s my color
My way of remembering you
Now I am the lone オレンジ in the rainbow
Without あなた here
I protect my own
Though I wish あなた were here
Now オレンジ is my color
A color for your bravery
A color for my survival
オレンジ will forever be our color
Even though death took あなた away
Forever オレンジ for you,
Sweet Cassidy.
あなた always wore it
It’s the color we shared
As we hid from them
With it we showed our true selves,
Though no one cared
Our オレンジ book bags
Were our shields from some of the pain
We protected each other
But it wasn’t enough
We were like two オレンジ crayons
When everyone else was green
Then あなた left me alone,
All I had was our color orange
As they hit me
I took peace in knowing
あなた were in the オレンジ field in the sky
あなた always 発言しました was there.
The オレンジ of the sun set
Is your smile
Even though あなた left too soon
Orange…
Now it’s my color
My way of remembering you
Now I am the lone オレンジ in the rainbow
Without あなた here
I protect my own
Though I wish あなた were here
Now オレンジ is my color
A color for your bravery
A color for my survival
オレンジ will forever be our color
Even though death took あなた away
Forever オレンジ for you,
Sweet Cassidy.
Violently, the ground shook,
As the mountain exhaled black smoke.
Overwhelmed, they ran for cover,
Those left began to choke.
Cherished, were the possessions left behind,
Melted and scattered as ash.
Beloved, the children lost,
They couldn’t make a 迅速, スウィフト dash.
Darkened, the cloudy heavens above,
Black clouds fell from the sky.
Covered, the people escaping,
With no way out they began to die.
Lost, the souls of the trapped,
A snatched half-chance at life.
Fallen is Pompeii;
Civilisation, 愛 and it’s people’s cries.
As the mountain exhaled black smoke.
Overwhelmed, they ran for cover,
Those left began to choke.
Cherished, were the possessions left behind,
Melted and scattered as ash.
Beloved, the children lost,
They couldn’t make a 迅速, スウィフト dash.
Darkened, the cloudy heavens above,
Black clouds fell from the sky.
Covered, the people escaping,
With no way out they began to die.
Lost, the souls of the trapped,
A snatched half-chance at life.
Fallen is Pompeii;
Civilisation, 愛 and it’s people’s cries.