A chilly breeze swept through my hair as I walked, the strands brushing over my face. A low fog surrounded my feet, swirling around the roots of the dark maple trees. With every step I took, the path continued to seem endless, eternal darkness directly in front of me. Though it was spring, crumbled red leaves crunched under my feet. I had no idea where I was, but I didn't care. Why should I, when nobody cared? I've been pushed around all my life. To my parents, I was never good enough, no matter how hard I worked. At school, the other students saw me as "too nice" to the point of being fake. Nobody understood me. For all I know, they wouldn't even take notice of my absence if I ran away. I had no idea what this forest was, where it was, or how I ended up in it, but it gave me a strange sense of peace. Here, nobody was pushing me to work harder, nobody was talking behind my back. It was the perfect atmosphere. Suddenly feeling the need to rest, I abruptly stopped walking. Spotting a wide tree stump, I sat down. Looking around, I observed the quiet harmony of nature by itself. The rhythmic chirping of crickets seemed to fit in with the occasional gusts of wind that blew past. If only our human lives occurred in harmony like this. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a pleasant deep voice behind me.
"Would you really want our lives to be in harmony like this?" The voice sounded. Not bothering to look back at the other person, I said, "Would it not be ideal to have a perfect world? Everyone is content and happy with their lives."
"I'm afraid you're not looking deep enough. If our human world was in perfect harmony, it would not be perfect at all."
"I don't understand. You just described a perfect world, yet you say it doesn't hold true to it's name?" I murmured.
"Think for a moment; If everyone was supplied with food to their heart's content, how would we be able to appreciate food? If everyone had internet, phones, computers and cars, how would we be able to be thankful for technology and transportation? If all families had a safe home to reside in, how could we possibly acknowledge our privilege of a roof over our heads?"
"May I clarify...what you're saying is that...a perfect world is not one in which all is fair, but it is one in which there is room for improvement and thankfulness?"
"Ah, I see you are starting to use that insightful mind of yours." The stranger's smooth voice transitioned into one of playfulness. Overcoming the nervousness that has restrained me from looking behind me, I turned around. My eyes met those of a boy, his jet black hair messily swept off the the side. His brown eyes, resembling melted pools of dark chocolate, sparkled in the dim moonlight. I observed him for a moment, expecting him to say something. When he didn't say anything, I broke the silence. "Why have you chosen to speak to me?"
"I understand you. You're precariously teetering on the edge of a cliff. One side of your life is pressuring you to keep working harder, to please those whom you look up to. The other half is urging to just let go of everything. To run free, release all the weight which has been accumulating on your shoulders".
"Who are you?" I whispered, suddenly feeling uneasy. Ignoring my question, he continued to speak. "I presume that you have a passion for writing?" He asked.
"Yes, I do. I see literature as a form of art. It's a way to express my thoughts and feelings."
"Then why do you let people take over your life? How do you fail to acknowledge and take advantage of the power you hold?" He suddenly seemed angry, or rather frustrated.
"What?" I asked, puzzled.
"If you consider yourself to be a powerful writer, why don't you harness this power?"
"I'm sorry, I don't understand." I responded apologetically. He walked around the tree stump until he stood over me. I was taken by surprise when grasped my wrist, pulling me to my feet. "If you can freely write novels, why can't you do that with your own life?" He asked, his voice sharp as knives, yet smooth like the flow of a river. When I didn't respond to his pending question, he stepped behind me. "I believe you should consider my words, Audrianna." I felt chills run down my spine when his hands brushed my neck, pushing my hair aside. When I reached up to touch my collarbone, I was surprised to feel a thin silver chain under my fingers. A small pendant was attached. It resembled a raindrop, with triangles forming patterns on the interior.
"It's getting quite late. I'd like to say I enjoyed my time with you, Audrianna, but I believe it is the time for us to go our separate ways." He gave me a slight smile, and turned to walk away.
"Wait!" I called to him. "I never got your name!" He paused for a moment, then, turned back to look at me, his coat blowing in the wind.
"Call me Suho."
"Suho..." I said his name to myself.
"Goodbye, Audrianna, until our paths cross once again..." Just like a dream, his figure vanished into the foggy landscape.
I let out a strangled gasp as my head snapped up. I was back in a familiar setting, the early morning sun shining in my eyes through the window. I groggily pulled myself out of bed, and made my way to the full length mirror. As I looked at my reflection, I thought, "Was it all just dream?" I could still smell his subtle cologne, and hear his soothing voice in my ears. I shook my head, trying to forget. But I didn't want to forget. I subconsciously reached up to scratch my neck, and I was astonished at what I found. The silver pendant still hung above my chest, sparkling under the sunlight. I clutched it in my palm, cherishing the memories from last night. Suho was right, wasn't he? It's about time I started to write my own story.
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