I ran, ran so fast that I could barely see where I was going. I slowed down as I entered the cold, wet woods. There was mist in the air. The color of the leaves, the red, the yellow, the brown, all drew my attention. The silence of the woods was unnerving. The crackles of the branches made me cringe. Tears started rolling down as I was drowning in a sea of grief when I realized, I was lost in the beauty of nature.

                                                             A day before

            I was peacefully laying down on my bed when I heard, “Jasmine, get in here now!” “We need to talk.” My mom had said to me. I replied, “Okay, what about?” “Things are tight around here, with all the bills and payments we need to make, so I am going to need you to help pay for more things around this house.” Like I didn’t have enough to pay for already. I am a 16-year-old. I shouldn’t have to deal with this type of stress and pressure just yet. “What do you mean I need to contribute more. I already contribute enough. I have things of my own I need to get and save for. It is not my responsibility to pay for things around here.” I had told her. She didn’t respond, I, irritably, walked away.

            The next day, I got up, went to school, then right after school I went straight to work. I usually work until midnight. I do that at least 3-4 times a week. I can feel the stress building up on me, by now, I could have the world’s tallest building of stress. This life is too much for me. I went home and I could feel the tears rolling down my face, like a waterfall. I have no time for a life, no time for homework, no time for sleep. I can’t handle it anymore, I continuously thought. I just went to sleep. That’s how many people avoid stress…right?

            It was evening, the sun was starting to fall slowly. I told my parents I was going to go for a walk. Maybe a walk will help me think and relieve this stress I have built upon myself. I continued to walk. I then noticed that there was a man behind me, quite a distance away. I didn’t think much of it, but when I looked back I saw he was even closer than before. I started running. I ran so fast, mainly until I felt like I was going to drop dead on the ground. I entered the cold, wet woods. I stopped. I slowly turned my head around and there he was, standing right behind me, breathing down my neck. I just stood there, shaking uncontrollably. I closed my eyes and put both hands on my head in frustration. I turned around and cried, “JUST GO AWAY.” I opened my eyes and poof, he disappeared as if he really wasn’t there. I, then, for a split second forgot about the stress I had built upon myself and how hard life had been lately. I remember, instead, all the beautiful things that beat the bad in life.

            I pull out my phone and realized that I forgot to charge it. At this point I was frightened; I’m in the woods alone, as it is getting dark. I was lost. I started spinning in confusion trying to figure out where I even was. My heart was pounding out of my chest. Snap…crack…. pop…I heard as I started walking. Looking around and not seeing a single person. The sky misses the sun. You could see that it was getting dark. I turned around and started running, trying to find my way back home. To where I belonged. I ran passed many trees and saw the leaves that were falling. I crossed this small bridge I saw when I came in and then I knew where I was going. I found my way out, I stopped to catch my breath, and signed in relief. I felt as though the world had just flashed before my eyes. I felt different. I felt…happier.

            When I got home. I went into my room and checked the time. 8:23 pm it read. What felt like 2 hours was only 23 minutes? I was confused but I let it by. I remembered the good I got out of going to the woods. I reminded myself that no matter how tough life gets, it’ll always be beautiful and it’ll always get better in time. I realized that I was strong and could get through it. I was lost, but I had just found my way back to reality. Just then, I heard a knock on my door; I woke up. That was all just a dream?