As I lay on the warm wood I can feel the rough splinters pressing at my back, and the dampness from the remains of pattering feet racing across the creaking boards. Soft splashing was once audible, but the rhythmic sounds of crystal waters against the time-worn pier had now faded to an eerie calm. It seems as if the night had paused for a moment. A single moment.  Leaving me within the tranquil silence of my own mind.

Suddenly, I feel a lone gust of cool night wind against my skin, the same breeze causing a soft rustling behind me, effectively shattering the evasive moment of delicate silence. Branches crackle and the sharp snap of a twig rings throughout the night. I smell earthy wood tones so clear I am transported to the immense forest as my eyelids flutter closed.

In my mind's eye I peer into the distance and am met with boundless pines in all directions, continuously decreasing in scale until all I can detect is a spec of brown and green. The scene before me blurs as I spin around searching for an abnormality, something, anything,  to break the endless monotony; my mind begins to race, matching the speed with which my eyes are now darting across the uniform scenery.  My abrupt movement is accompanied by the crackle of sticks beneath my dirt-covered sneakers, resonating throughout the entirety of the forest. Heard by no one but myself. Just myself. Trapped in the uncertainty of the tangled branches. The gradually disintegrating composure of my mind snaps like the fragile twigs beneath my beat up sneakers, and suddenly it's all too much, the feeling of abnormality and isolation crashes down upon me.

A leaf falls in front of my watering eyes, drifting idly through the air as it flutters from side to side. Time slows down around the crisp green, as though the anxious tempo of my mind could not penetrate its unadulterated calm. The jagged edges of the tiny leaf cut through the tight layers of my mind, encouraging me to look beyond the fear of isolation and appreciate the serenity of solitude. I let out a deep breath and turn my gaze to the sky. The towering trees stretch high above me, their green branches like arms grasping at the brilliant blue sky. The strong brown bark would be intimidating if the trees weren't swaying lazily in the wind almost as if they could perceive an inaudible tune. Inviting me to forget the demands of life and join them.

The edges of my lips curl upward into a smile as my eyes fly open once more, and are met with a blank darkness. Almost as though I hadn't opened them at all. The hard press of aged wood is a constant reminder of where I really am. I am alone in the darkness, until I turn my shining eyes upwards and gaze at the millions of bright stars contrasting against the inky black of the night sky.  They are hope and joy and the fire in my eyes. The tiny masses of light are my burning desire to succeed. I reach a small cluster of twinkling stars and I am reminded they are not simply a reflection of myself, but also those I hold closest to my heart. They are my joy of friendship and the steadfast security of family.

But the twinkling lights are just out of reach, flitting about my fingertips as I try to grasp them. For between us lies miles of dark clouds, attempting to obscure the glow of the stars. Attempting to hide their light from my eyes. I am burdened by the memories of all that has held me back in my limited experience of life. The oppressive pressure to fit in, to lose oneself in the crowd of sameness. For fear comes with the unknown, and what we cannot understand we don't want. Those who stand out, unafraid and unapologetic of who they are become cast to the side, leaving room for more the the identical ideal. Like the pines growing in the endless forest of life, indigenous plants become extinct as the invasive species multiplies, erasing all memory of the original way of life. Those who stroll through the vast landscape are only able to perceive and appreciate what immediately comes to view, the invasive pine. Slowly forgetting about all those who chose not to conform.

Still the warm light of the stars shine definitely through the haze of dark clouds. They reflect softly in my blue eyes and cast a golden ring around the center of my iris. Glowing for an eternity, refusing to fade away.