It draws me in with the call of the Eastern whippoorwill and the scent of fallen leaves. My feet follow the path of once lush grasses, this rutted track of unforgiving soil. Five steps in, then fifty, and a mile and more and more until I find the place where the outside world slips away. I scramble through brush and bramble like a cat hunting prey. I pause to perch on the edge of a cliff like a hawk ready to take flight.  As I slip on a carpet of moss and cut both knees, I pay no mind and brush the dirt from my palms. Quiet drapes heavy like a warm blanket. My bones absorb it. Serenity is riding on whispering winds that whirl around weakened branches. My desire runs as swiftly as the current in the river cutting through these woods and I push deeper into the heart of the forest. I feel my breath slow as I find its center. I allow myself a moment to meander in this wonder and let go. I am home.

photo: mine

prompt: OctPoWriMo Day 5