I hike nearly a mile down Harbison Lane until the tar-and-chip road dwindles down to a narrow dirt path at an impassable dead end road that cuts into the forest. Only locals and conservation officers know what exists beyond this point. I make my way through the bushy entrance and venture into a verdant wilderness of lush foliage in shades of nut brown and green flourishing in full bloom. I saunter down the winding trail and dodge around these thick trunks of ancient trees that's occupied this natural environment for centuries, proceeding with care I tread over their massive roots to avoid tumbling headfirst into the mud-caked earth. Dead leaves crunch and twigs snap beneath my sneakers with each step I take. The rich scent of pine and wildflowers mingles through this fresh country air. All around me, I can hear the sounds of wildlife chirping and croaking as it reverbrates into the distance and back. I round the final curve of the trail, then head towards the light where a small opening overlooks a tranquil lake that's surrounded by a shoreline of nothing but tress. I get a breathtaking view of the sky ablaze with brilliant shades of orange, fiery red, pink and a twist of purple, stretching far and wide. A picture-perfect skyline that belongs on canvas as a masterpiece. The setting sun is just minutes away from descending below the horizon yet still glistening off the water, adding to the mesmerizing beauty that's left to offer. I fix my gaze out to the horizon until there's nothing left to see and the twilight takes over. As much as I'd love to stick around and immerse myself in this glorious nature, I know that every last bit of daylight is crumbling around me, which would leave me with no vision to see my way out of these game lands. That said, I must hit the trail and go. Another splendid day has run its course and nightfall will soon set in. What a beautiful day its been.

I hike nearly a mile down Northshore Lane until the tar-and-chip road dwindles down to a narrow dirt trail at an impassable dead end that cuts through the forest. Only locals and conservation officers know what exists beyond that point. I make my way through the bushy entrance and venture into the verdant wilderness of lush foliage in shades of nut brown and green flourishing in full bloom. I saunter down the winding path around the thick trunks of ancient trees that occupy this natural environment, proceeding with care as I traverse over their massive roots before me to avoid tumbling headfirst onto the mud-caked earth. Dead leaves crunch and twigs snap beneath my sneakers with each step I take. The rich scent of pine and wildflowers mingles through the fresh country air. All around me, I can hear the sounds of wildlife chirping and croaking echo

reverberating into the distance. I round the final curve of the trail, then head towards the light where a small opening overlooks a tranquil lake that's surrounded by a shoreline of nothing but tress. I get a breathtaking view of the sky ablaze in a vivid array of oranges. The dying sun is only minutes away from descending below the horizon, still glistening off the water, adding to the mesmerizing beauty that's left to offer. I pull gaze out at the horizon until I there's nothing left to see and the twilight takes over. As much as I'd love to stick around and immerse myself into nature, I know that every last bit of daylight is crumbling and I'm left with no vision to see my way out of these game lands. Another splendid day has run its course as nightfall sets in. Another splendid day has run its course.

When darkness comes,

The street lights come on,

All night long

Till the break of dawn.

Good things come,

Then they're gone.

Just like a song,

It doesn't last long.

Or a full moon,

It's over too soon.

Just remember

Nothing is forever.

I recently created a community page on Facebook called ' Holly Writes: An Emerging Writer' and my goal is to grow an audience so I can host daily writing prompts and writing contests with cash prizes, and much more fun-filled entertainment I can't do this until I have enough followers to give me a thumbs up to like the page. I uploaded a photo of exactly what the community looks like on this title. I'm not sure how to add a photo to a post here, if that option is available on here and someone knows how to do it, please enlighten me and explain how to post it. If anyone here has a Facebook account, please check out the page, I'll post the title again at the bottom of this post. Please feel free to share my page with others, this community page is going to be a very entertaining and I promise you will love it once I get it going. I'm in the beginning stages of building the page up as we speak and I hope you will check it out, it will be very much appreciated. I will be sharing short pieces of fiction, creative nonfiction, personal essays and poetry. It will become a writer's arcade as well so let's get this party started! I also added the link information as well

You can also find my personal account under the name:

"Holly Writes from Pittsburgh, PA."

And again, the community page:

"Holly Writes: An Emerging Writer"

https://www.facebook.com/Holly-Writes-An-Emerging-Writer-111233057124332/

My ultimate goal is to advance into a proficient writer and has been since 2016, following a brief moment of self-reflecting on my past. It was right then and there when I realized I had a story that was screaming to be told. A book of blank pages where the chapters already exist, but can’t be filled in until the ‘chapters of life’ have been been experienced. My ultimate dream is to write a memoir, but again, my ultimate goal is to make a career as an every writer. To write short pieces of nonfiction as well as my own personal essays that are based on realistic experiences and true events that transpired in my life. Topics including addiction & recovery, mental health disorders, my encounters with brain injury, near death experiences, not once or twice, but three different times. The pain I endured, the challenges I faced and the tears I cried for years on end. Last, but not least, the outcome and results that shaped my life today. First and foremost, to inspire others who are sprinting through the flames of hell in the same shoes as I did. My ideal career of becoming an established writer is to not only do something that infuses me with pleasure, but to make a difference in the world. Whether I leave a positive impact on one life or one million lives, then I fulfilled one of my purposes and reasons for breathing.

I'm just writing because I can. I'm not plotting or planning, I'm just writing any random words that come to my mind. Today I wrote a dumb ass poem about cherry blossoms on a tree outside my window, you know what I mean? Now we're in quarantine we can't actually go outside and enjoy the beautiful springtime weather. No, we are all on the inside looking out and I'm feeling a little boxed in these days and I just need someone to pull me out of this awful nightmare that won't end. I feel like I'm stuck in an ongoing episode of the the Twilight Zone, in fact, I can hear the theme song playing over and over again in my head.