Everything is pitch black except the bright sky. A million stars twinkle above me, looking down at the ground. The Milky Way looks like a cloud softening the darkness. There are no lights on. I feel a crisp breeze gently brushing up against my bare skin. It smells like smoke from the last embers of the crackling campfire. I can still taste the sweetness of the chocolate from the smores I roasted over the campfire. The night is silent other than the peaceful, singing of the locus in the distance. I can still smell the damp soil from the afternoon rain. My body aches from today's adventures. I close my eyes and take a breath of fresh mountain air. At this moment, I feel at peace. The sound of a twig snapping breaks the peaceful silence. My thoughts start to wander. 

My eyes fly open abruptly, but the darkness hides the source of the sound. A strong and strange scent fills my nose, reminding me of wildfire. The wind picks up and bites my nose and cheeks, making me shiver and shake. I feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I can hear my  heart beating in my ears. A bush rustles at the edge of the clearing. I frantically look in the darkness. In the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a shadow, as it vanishes into the darkness. I close my eyes tight, hoping that this is all a dream. 

When I open them, there is no shadow at the edge of the clearing, only a big pine tree. I look down at the still burning campfire, and the smell of forest fire comes back to me. A small chipmunk comes scampering out of a bush, running across the clearing. The sharp wind blowing through the trees makes the Forest whistle. The feeling of easy peace comes back. I realize slowly that it’s all okay. The forest was just playing tricks on my own mind.