আপনি wake up under a shady willow with a vague semblance of what আপনি had dreamt.
আপনি have dozed off again. And no wonder, there is a good book in your lap and your পছন্দ songs are still crackling through your earbuds. আপনি ought to replace them, they are going bad. আপনি pull them out and decide to listen to nature’s সঙ্গীত instead. The soft gurgle of the pond coupled with catkins rustling against each other has always been your পছন্দ blend of sounds. Every now and again your ear is filled with the nearly undetectable buzz of a cicada humming past. আপনি aren’t quite sure, but আপনি think that the last bug to flitter দ্বারা may have been a bumblebee in খুঁজুন of a ফুল 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 বৃক্ষ clover and dandelion grow in dense clusters, growing আরো 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. আপনি pluck a clover and twirl it between your fingers.

A কাঠবিড়াল scrambles down the বৃক্ষ and flicks his tail at you. And when আপনি go to snap a photo, he has the audacity to toss an acorn at আপনি with a chitter before frantically scuttling off. For that reason, আপনি preferred the rabbits.

আপনি lean back against the বৃক্ষ 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 sundress blows a মেঘ 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 অথবা later she’d invite a friend over to help her catch প্রজাপতি as she does every Saturday afternoon. But until then she could use some company, so আপনি offer to যোগদান her. She smiles cheerfully and tells আপনি that her name is Louisiana-Piper. আপনি tell her yours and say that you’ve never met a girl named Louisiana before. She giggles and hands আপনি a bubble wand, instructing আপনি on how to use it. আপনি keep her entertained until Katie arrives. Just as আপনি start to leave, they ask আপনি to help them catch প্রজাপতি that has flown out of reach. আপনি lose track of time. Eventually the blonde boy, who আপনি have come to know is her brother, Parker, calls her to follow him home. Faintly, আপনি miss being that young.

আপনি pick up your book and watch a sneeze of dandelion seeds take to the air. They coast lazily about, seeking good places to land. আপনি 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 আপনি know now that spring is fading away. আপনি will miss it of course, but the summer solstice has its own glories that আপনি enjoy almost as strongly as vernal ones.

আপনি stretch your arms and decide that your time at the park is done for the day. আপনি walk প্রথমপাতা with the twilight in its সেকেন্ড stage. There is a deep blue in the sky, pushing the রঙ of the sunset down. A few clouds cluster near the drooping sun as a few stars pop into view. আপনি feel bad because your parents are probably worried, আপনি always seem to spend too much time at the park and arrive প্রথমপাতা when there’s আরো navy in the sky than oranges and golds.

When আপনি get প্রথমপাতা আপনি see your mother and her friend just beginning to fold up a picnic blanket. Fleetingly, আপনি wonder why they didn’t accompany আপনি to the park, the scenery over there was much আরো suitable for an outdoor lunch. Your neighbor is also packing away his সরবৎ stand, he offers আপনি a cup. Deciding that it would be a nice way to end a fine May evening, আপনি flip him a quarter and take a cup. আপনি 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 দ্বারা his father calling him a fourth time—you wander into your back yard. A week অথবা so from now, fireflies will dance in between প্রজাপতি bushes and garden gnomes. আপনি think that আপনি might catch a few if আপনি find the time, but আপনি have promised your father that আপনি 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 আপনি 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 আপনি don’t fancy actually putting the lights up, আপনি think that they will add a nice, almost rural, touch to the yard. আপনি finish your lemonade. Though the night is early, আপনি can hear the yip of a coyote.

আপনি look towards the forest just beyond your backyard. Windchimes tinkle behind you, somehow coaxing আপনি to recall the days when আপনি would chase fae and sing with elves. The days when আপনি would swim with nixies in the pond and catch glimpses of ইউনিকর্ণ in the sunrays that filtered between the leaves. The days when faeries awakened when ফুলেরডালি opened their petals. Just like that আপনি remember your dream in full.
Suddenly it doesn’t feel like a dream at all.
আপনি look at your hand expecting to see a rope bracelet.

***

আপনি leave your bedroom window open with the curtains billowing and casting shadows, the night time has never bothered you. Some people are jarred দ্বারা 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. আপনি 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 আপনি are used to them all.
In fact আপনি couldn’t imagine a night without such sounds.
They have lulled আপনি to sleep since your coloring book days.

আপনি listen to the distant night calls until আপনি are almost asleep and just on the brink of a dream. আপনি 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 আপনি come to full wakefulness আপনি 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 আপনি don’t, আপনি go to the window as if answering the call of an old companion. The half-imp, half-dryad looks at আপনি with eyes of gold, his mossy hair flutters like the curtains. His wings twitter frantically, during their upstrokes they প্রদর্শনী a gossamer জলপাই color and beating down they display yellower hues. He looks like a দিন rising faery and আপনি wonder what he is doing up so late. He drifts away from your window and আপনি decide that such is your cue to follow.

আপনি consider that আপনি are in fact in a dream, that আপনি must not have realized that আপনি fell asleep. That makes it easier to grab your iPod and slip through the window. The moon is in a late waxing phase, the মাস will end with a full moon. Under its light আপনি 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 আপনি can’t decipher the lyrics. Every now and again a বৃক্ষ frog অথবা two will chime in. আপনি breathe in the night air; it is fresh, mostly. Mixed in with the damp smell of old leaves is something আরো acidic. Just at the border of your yard, where the ঘাস begins to grow taller and intermingles with clusters of rye, আপনি spot small twinkles of light. At first আপনি think that they might be fireflies, but it is still too early in the বছর for that. Even if it wasn’t, these tiny orbs glow teal. A long time পূর্বে when আপনি still sat on grandmother’s lap, listening to her sing lullabies আপনি heard a story. It was a fairy tale that had been passed down for generations, from here is where আপনি know what those softly luminescent orbs are.
Despite the stories আপনি 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 আরো forlorn creatures and no আরো এনচ্যান্টেড beings, no light nor dark; Ogre and elf, troll and pixie, vampire and stayer, they just want to stay alive and vibrant. আপনি hear the windchimes jingle on your patio again. The will-o-wisps buzz around, zipping towards the বৃক্ষ line. The imp-dryad seats himself upon one of the wisps and eyes আপনি just as curiously as আপনি eye him. It must have been centuries since a human older than twelve has acknowledged him অথবা a being like him. Curious indeed.
But the things আপনি acknowledge in dreams are different than the ones আপনি 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. আপনি প্রণয় the forest after all. It isn’t frightening in the slightest, it is a comfort.
It is home.

আপনি 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 আপনি cannot tell which odor belongs to which tree. আপনি see a beetle scuttle over the bark and decide not to touch any of the trees. The wisps light your way as আপনি traipse about. আপনি have been in this very forest for many years—your mother is fond of reminding আপনি that she used to take আপনি for walks here when আপনি were just a babe, she of course, did all of the walking. But this is the first time আপনি can think of that আপনি have ventured here during the night hours. Under the moon it is familiar in a surreal sense. The trail is accented দ্বারা the same sizable rocks that have been there for ages. They didn’t have as much moss when আপনি 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 দ্বারা a higher hoot and then a deeper one that sounds much closer. আপনি think that, that third call might have come from the oak পরবর্তি to you. আপনি squint up at the বৃক্ষ but can make out nothing. আপনি wish that আপনি had brought your flashlight, your iPod’s light will do just well, but it feels somehow less appropriate.

আপনি would like to gawk some আরো but the swarm of wisps are waiting, আপনি don’t know where they are going to lead আপনি but আপনি don’t want to leave them waiting for too long. For a moment আপনি long to dash into the swarm and let those beads of light dance around you, but আপনি guess that doing so might be seen as invasive so আপনি keep your distance as they lead আপনি deeper into the forest. The trees pack themselves আরো tightly as আপনি trail further in. One might think it would be oppressive, but আপনি feel as though the trees in their density offer আপনি better protection. দ্বারা the time the wisps stop moving আপনি find yourself in a clearing. What আপনি see throws আপনি right back into your childhood and for the first time in ages your imagination has fuel. Dream অথবা not, আপনি find yourself in the midst of something আপনি know is very special. আপনি don’t know the occasion, but celebration is all around you. There is decoration all around. Most of it consists of ইউ কাষ্ঠ and floral garland. আপনি see it dangling from branches and wrapped around বৃক্ষ trunks, পরাকাষ্ঠা ফুলেরসাজি and ফ্ুলপাছ climbs all the way up. In other places wisteria clings to the trees; this spectacle can’t possibly be real as আপনি 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 আপনি look there are hovering paper lanterns mostly in greens, purples, blues. Upon giving one a gentle tap আপনি realize that they are not part of the décor. The delicate being nips at আপনি and bobs away, taking its light with it.

আপনি find yourself dazzled দ্বারা 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. আপনি 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 জরি and flora swish fluidly about.

আপনি 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 নেকড়ে-মানুষ huddle near the faun. A cluster of talking mice with iridescent পশম skitter at the feet of a winged dog. আপনি 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 রঙ 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 স্বর্ণ dust. Oh, but there is such a variety আপনি can’t possibly keep track of it all.

As আপনি marvel at the dragons, the elven kin offer আপনি berries and diced mushrooms on platters bordered with pinecone scales. Others offer আপনি a chance to dance with them. আপনি take them up on their offers and dance until আপনি are ready to return to your bed.

***

আপনি want to go back to the park, but daily tasks call আপনি away from it. আপনি have a তালিকা of mundane things to do from the laundry to some vacuuming, each task is as dull as the next. Between loads of ব্যক্ত laundry, আপনি find yourself picking up some of the clutter আপনি let accumulate in your room—better to do it yourself than to wait for your mother to cause a stir over it. As আপনি do so, আপনি cast longing glances at your book shelf. A few of your পছন্দ titles are calling you. The voices of the ones you’ve been meaning to read cry louder. But আপনি are forced to ignore them for now. আপনি promise that আপনি will come back for them when আপনি get the chance, even if it’s only a page অথবা two before bed.

Your relief today comes in the form of your father reminding আপনি that আপনি 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 আপনি can go out and get some fresh summer air instead of remaining cooped up in your house. So আপনি tell him that আপনি will be downstairs in just a moment. আপনি change from your pajamas into your shorts and your পছন্দ summer tee. You’re dad is already outside, getting a head start on the task, দ্বারা the time আপনি have finished dressing.

As আপনি work to put up the first strand, আপনি peer into the forest. Your dream from about a week পূর্বে comes back to the surface.
A swarm of gnats play in the tall ঘাস near where the forest opens up. And a family of প্রজাপতি 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 কমলা ফুলেরডালি are exactly the kind that would house a teeny fairy baby.
And for a moment আপনি believe again.

For no other reason than to humor yourself, আপনি stray from the strand of lights and motion to peel a petal back. But before আপনি get the chance to peep into the ফুল your father beckons আপনি to stay on task as your grandparents would arrive any মিনিট now. আপনি sigh, the ফুল 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 আপনি used to chase them around the yard, letting them crawl along your fingers. আপনি climb back atop your ladder and finish weaving the strand of homemade lights through the branches. আপনি step down to admire your work. Between yourself and your father, the new decorations are looking pretty spiffy. The two of আপনি keep up until all of the trees in your yard get their share. In the daylight they look like ordinary jars but once আপনি plug them in, they will look as mystical as everything else in the garden. আপনি are eager for night just so that আপনি can see the full glory of your work. Briefly আপনি consider that it would have been আরো suiting to set candles in each jar instead of a bulb, আপনি vocalize this to your father. He disagrees, stating that doing so would be too tedious and time consuming anyhow. As আপনি are about to leave, he asks আপনি if আপনি 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 আপনি don’t want to hear it again, আপনি agree. আপনি might as well seeing as most of today has been eaten up দ্বারা housework anyhow.

The পরবর্তি morning is even less thrilling. It starts with the bleating of your alarm clock, stealing আপনি away from a pretty dream and thrusting আপনি harshly back into real life. It would be less irritating if a long দিন of work wasn’t in store for you. আপনি tug your uniform on and have a quick breakfast of two প্যানকেকস and some আপেল juice. আপনি grab your car keys and head out. Your car is nice enough, আপনি suppose, it treats আপনি well and gets আপনি where আপনি need to go. That’s all আপনি can ask of it. আপনি arrive at work, a quaint little local coffee shop. Mostly it isn’t bad but there are some days when আপনি would rather curl up under one of those gaudy পরাকাষ্ঠা and জলপাই green striped tables and never come out. On those days আপনি yearn for the simplicity of childhood. The time when আপনি 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. আপনি have never come across someone so picky. Today is one of those days where she is screeching at আপনি 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. আপনি wish that she wouldn’t cave like that, but আপনি don’t say anything lest আপনি precure Matilda’s wrath again.

It is late when আপনি get home, so আপনি go upstairs and try to write. But no stories come to your head, so আপনি 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. আপনি click around for a bit and try to recall past ideas that আপনি never got around to লেখা but আপনি can’t think of any. আপনি check your emails and watch a few videos. আপনি have another idea, আপনি begin flipping through your journal for stories that আপনি have never finished. No inspiration comes from there either, though আপনি have some pretty solid stories started আপনি have no idea where to take them. আপনি also fear that your লেখা has become lackluster and will ruin something that looks so good. Finally frustrated out of your mind, আপনি put the journal away wondering where your মুসে had fled to as আপনি frantically give one last attempt to collect the visages of your past creativity. When that fails too, আপনি retreat to your বিছানা with a faint hope that perhaps your dreams will offer আপনি some new material, but lately আপনি have been struggling to recollect their content.

Work keeps আপনি busy for the days to come and আপনি don’t get a chance to go to the park until the সেকেন্ড week of June. It has been too long, watching fireflies blink in your yard just doesn’t cut it. So at the first chance আপনি get, আপনি grab a book, your journal, and your bike and আপনি set off. Despite the summer crowd, your পছন্দ spot under the willow, the spot where you’d first put your journal to use, is unoccupied. Maybe sitting in your পছন্দ spot again and enjoying nature’s energy will kindle your creative vibes. The field before আপনি now shows off delicate পরাকাষ্ঠা azalea, white tri-petaled trillium, and the sunny yellow of daffodil. Near the দোল set, before ঘাস turns to woodchip, a viburnum shrub has finally exploded with teeny white blossoms. The air is pleasantly hot as আপনি tap আপনি pencil onto the paper of your journal.

***

আপনি are lost, terribly so. It might not have been so bad except for the rain. The world around আপনি has a grey tinge to it and আপনি wonder if your family has noticed your absence. Really, all আপনি intended was to have a quick walk. The family reunion has been pleasant enough so far, but it is crowded and আপনি wanted to get a break from aunts with no sense of personal মহাকাশ and overly loud uncles made louder দ্বারা 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 জরি to their branches and sprinkling faux diamond scatter at their feet. আপনি had watched dark clouds gather at the corner of the sky, all the while, the forest path was calling you. It had been calling আপনি since আপনি arrived. After an offhanded joke দ্বারা uncle Marvin, আপনি decided that it was time to make your get away. আপনি probably should have told your parents আপনি were stepping out for a bit অথবা at the very least আপনি should have invited your cousin to tag along, she knows the area well. But আপনি didn’t think to do so and now আপনি are হারিয়ে গেছে in some forest of red বৃক্ষবিশেষ and black birch in Connecticut, states away from your প্রথমপাতা in Maine. It was wonderful at first, the sprinkle hadn’t yet turned into an all-out rainfall and আপনি remembered to take your camera along so আপনি had managed to snap a few ছবি of the sweepy leaves of a hemlock বৃক্ষ spotted with raindrops. The fluff of cottonwood fell upon আপনি with the raindrops giving the forest a rather fantastical allure. And because of the drizzle, many of the আরো annoying insects had fled. That should have been your first clue that আপনি were walking into a storm, instead আপনি felt relieved that আপনি didn’t have to swat at gnats the whole time. আপনি caught some of the fluff and put it in your pocket, আপনি don’t yet know what আপনি will use it for, but it seems like a nice thing to have. Something else caught your eye, a glistening in the bushes. When আপনি stooped down to see what it was, আপনি 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 আপনি to the point of not being able to find your way back to the reserve.

Instead আপনি came out at the edge of an old steel mill. This is where আপনি 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 দ্বারা creeping ivy, আপনি are pleased to see that the green tangle seems to be strangling the gaudy things. Rising from the শীর্ষ are smoke stakes of various sizes in various states of corrosion and decay. আপনি can see cracks in the fixtures. It isn’t your usual material, but আপনি take a quick picture regardless. As আপনি 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 আপনি though and আপনি are inside before your brain sounds the warning bells. The মহাকাশ 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 দেওয়াল sport pressure gauges and wheels used to open and shut the ventilation system. There is a power panel on the opposite দেওয়াল in which the ivy made its way in. ঘাস 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. আপনি are most appalled though, দ্বারা the miniature generator in the corner and its cluster of uranium fuel rods. আপনি remove yourself from the industrial jungle as quickly as আপনি had entered it.

আপনি 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. আপনি hope that the rest of your family has made it inside safely. আপনি see figures poking through the mist—wooden skeletons that range in height from waist level to towering above your head. They are trees, আপনি realize, অথবা 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. আপনি take your camera out and hastily capture the somber display before the rain can damage it. আপনি can see a saw blade burrowed into one of the trees, আপনি walk closer intent on pulling the blade out.

As আপনি edge nearer, the air seems to glimmer and distorted as if someone has draped seran মোড়ানো over the landscape.