Sometimes, when you stare at the moonlit sky, you dream of impossible things. And other times, you are reminded of things that should never have happened, should never have existed. And when those times come, you can only do your best with what you have.

    Unfortunately, it is not yet summer; at least, not in the way you wish it was.

    It is warm out tonight, and you can hear the frogs chirping down by the lake, and inside you know you' will have to go back to school tomorrow. But instead of going inside and getting some sleep, as you know you should, you stay out on the deck and ground yourself in the flavors of the night. The feel of the cool breeze ruffling your hair, the rustling of small creatures in the forest, the sound of your glider as it squeaks softly. For now, it is only you, with the wooden deck beneath your toes and the stars above your mind. Your worries are forgotten in the warm embrace of the night.

    You want to stay there forever; you know you could, if you wanted. The crackling of leaves and sticks tells you so. 
    It only takes a few leaps down the stairs, two at a time, and a bound across the soft grass before you make it to the forests doorstep. Your eyes had adjusted to the light quite a while ago, when your parents had gone up to bed and turned the light off, and now, you can see a path clearly laid out in front of you. With your feet bare, you find yourself following it, your mind in a soft haze and your heart slipping, lurching, stumbling, with anticipated joy.

    Although you refuse to glance behind you, you know your home is no longer in view; something that would have frightened you when you were younger, but now, sends a thrill of welcome adrenaline through your veins. The path you have traveled has become smooth beneath your heels, the pale blue grass worn down by the footsteps of countless others, and the faint rush of traffic from the street has all but faded. You slow your pace to enjoy your surroundings. The faint twinkle of water droplets shimmering on top of unknown flora, the watchful gazes of creatures that you have never met. You feel at peace, even more at peace than you had while you were sitting on the deck at home.

    You are free.

    The sky should have lightened by now, but instead it is as dark as it always has been, excepting the stars that were invisible from home. The crackling of leaves and twigs reminds you that you have nothing to be afraid of; you are safe, here in the forest. Nothing can harm you. You know that once you have calmed, you will find your way home without fault.

    With a clearing coming into view and that reassurance replaying in your mind, you inhale the fresh air and settle yourself in the center of the clearing. Lying back, you can see the stars glimmering high above you, welcoming you home. A breeze picks up once more, and you sense that it is the same breeze you had felt before. The same playful spirit; the same unwavering energy. In the velvet grass, you feel vibrations through the ground of hovering footsteps. A warm smile crosses your face as the spirit draws closer, and you close your eyes. She kneels beside you, her fingertips brushing lightly across your arm, your cheek, your forehead, before she lifts your head into her lap.

    She stays quiet, caressing your hair, taking care of you. She knows you; knows your memories, your emotions, and her presence warms your cold skin. Your heart had stopped, sometime during your walk, and it starts to beat once more when she passes her hands over your chest. Her voice murmurs softly around you, the words vibrating through your body as she speaks an unknown language. You realize that at some point, you had stopped breathing as well, and now, you inhale sharply.

    In this moment, you realize you have been through this before. You know why it is so familiar; you remember the carnival, the ringmaster. The one who had sent you here. Your eyes flutter open to meet the tender gaze of Oraculos, and a soft sigh slips past your lips.

    "Another life passed, then."

    She nods, confirming your statement, and pulls you closer. This is only one of the many times you have explored this forest, and you can only hope to remember it. The forest caught between life and death is not nearly as terrifying as most make it seem. Although you know you will not remember this encounter in your next life, as you have not with prior encounters, you always have a sense that it is not something to fear.

    Pulling yourself to sit up, you turn and wrap your arms around her and she returns the embrace, her arms slipping around your waist to hold you close. You know you will have to wake soon, but for a few moments longer you are content.

Eventually she pulls back slightly; she brushes a kiss to your forehead, and then another to your lips as your vision fades.

    You return to your home where your partner waits for you, your memory hazy; fading. Someday, perhaps, you will be able to remember enough to tell her. But you have already forgotten her name; the memory of your time between life and death has faded, and you are alive, living, once more.