AUDIO PODCAST 8 minutes

Lila woke to the sound of rustling leaves, her breath fogging in the crisp morning air. She blinked, and the world shimmered—golden oaks and crimson maples stretched endlessly before her, their branches swaying in a breeze that smelled of earth and cider. She was in the forest again, the one she’d walked through last night. Or was it last week? Her fingers brushed the rough bark of a tree, solid and real, and she smiled, feeling the familiar connection to nature that always brought her peace. Sunlight filtered through the vibrant canopy, dappling the ground with patches of warmth that felt inviting against the coolness of the morning. A small bird chirped cheerfully in the distance, and she paused to listen, allowing the harmonious sounds of the forest to envelop her like a cozy blanket. Fall had arrived, her favorite season, painting the world in hues that felt like home, where every rustling leaf and fluttering wing told a story of transformation and comfort as if inviting her to discover the secrets hidden within this enchanting landscape. 

She wandered deeper, the crunch of leaves underfoot a steady rhythm that accompanied her thoughts like a familiar song. A deer darted past, its antlers catching the low sunlight, and she laughed—hadn’t she fed it apples yesterday? Or had that been a dream? The thought slipped away as she reached a clearing where a wooden bench sat, weathered but familiar, a silent witness to the passage of time and countless fleeting moments. She settled onto it, pulling her sweater tight against the chill that seemed to seep through the air, and watched the sky shift from amber to violet, painting a masterpiece that only nature could create. A gentle breeze rustled the branches above, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth, while distant birds sang their evening songs. Time didn’t matter here; it was just her and the season, entwined in a tranquil embrace that felt both timeless and fleeting. 

“Lila,” a voice called, soft but insistent. She turned, but no one was there—only the wind, whispering through the branches, carrying with it a symphony of rustling leaves that seemed to echo her confusion. She frowned. That voice… it had been in her room this morning, hadn’t it? The memory lingered in her mind like a haunting melody, before the leaves. Before the forest. Her head ached, and the scene flickered before her eyes, blurring reality with a dreamlike haze. Suddenly, the trees were bare, then budding—pink blossoms unfurling like delicate fans, the air warming with the sweet scent of rain and new grass. Spring now, not fall. The world transformed, vibrant colors awakening all around her. She stood, confused, as petals drifted around her like snowflakes caught in a gentle breeze, each one a reminder of the fleeting passage of time. The bench was gone, replaced by a patch of wildflowers that danced joyfully in the wind. Hadn’t she planted those? Doubt crept in as she examined the landscape, the familiar now tinged with surreal beauty, blurring the lines between her memories and the enchanting present. 

She knelt, touching the soft petals, and memories—or dreams—rushed in like a tide pulling her under. She’d danced here under a pastel sky, her hands stained with soil as she twirled freely, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face and the whisper of leaves in the gentle breeze. Or had she watched it from her window, longing to join the magic outside? The forest blurred, and suddenly, she was in her bedroom, staring at a cracked ceiling that seemed to close in on her as the moments faded. A woman leaned over her, her face lined with worry, shadows playing across her features as if reflecting the depth of her concern. “Lila, you’re awake. You were talking about leaves again,” the woman said softly, her voice the one from the wind, but sharper now, tethering her spirit to the present. It was a voice that carried the weight of love and grounding, pulling Lila back to reality, bringing forth a sense of safety amidst the swirling chaos of her thoughts. 

Lila blinked, trying to shake off the lingering fog in her mind. The room smelled stale, not like rain or earth, but rather like an unforgiving emptiness that gnawed at her senses. A tray of pills sat on the nightstand, each one a bright reminder of her reality, and a calendar read March 21, 2025. Spring, she thought wistfully, but where were the blossoms? The vibrant colors and lively scents that usually filled the air seemed painfully absent. She looked down at her hands—clean, glaringly so, devoid of any trace of soil or the sticky sweetness of apple juice from feeding the deer with her own hands. “I was there,” she murmured softly to herself, feeling a deep yearning wash over her. “The forest. It’s fall there now. Or spring. I can’t…” Her voice trailed off, swallowed by the silence of the room, and the woman sighed, feeling a profound disconnect between the vivid memories of her time in the forest and the dull, clinical environment surrounding her now. The weight of absence settled heavily upon her chest, making it hard to breathe as she longed for the embrace of nature’s cycle, for the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves—simple pleasures that now felt like distant echoes. 

“You’ve been here all night,” the woman said gently, her voice soothing like a soft breeze. “Dreaming again, just as you often do. The doctor says it’s getting harder for you to come back, as if each journey to that other realm pulls you further away from us. I can see the worry etched on your face even in your slumber, the way your brow furrows and your lip’s part slightly, as though you’re lost in something profoundly beautiful yet terrifying. I wish I could follow you into those dreams, to understand what captivates you so deeply and to bring you back safely when the time comes.” 

Lila shook her head, her mind racing with disbelief. “No, I walked there. I felt it.” She closed her eyes tightly, and the room around her dissolved into a haze of color and light. Suddenly, she found herself back in the forest, where leaves were falling in slow spirals, the golden hues painting a serene picture of autumn. With each leaf that touched the ground, she felt seasons transform like a carousel spinning endlessly in the sky. The gentle rustle of branches accompanied the soothing sounds of nature, as the deer returned, their soft noses nudging her hand. Lila laughed, the sound bursting forth like music, and tears streaked her face, a blend of joy and nostalgia overwhelming her senses. “This is real,” she whispered breathlessly into the crisp air, though the woman’s voice echoed faintly in the background, calling her name with urgency, as if trying to tether her to the present even as she reveled in the beauty of the moment. 

Days passed—or didn’t. Lila roamed her forest, seasons blending into a tapestry she couldn’t untangle. Fall’s golden decay gave way to spring’s tender green, then back again, a loop of beauty she couldn’t escape. Each step brought the rustle of leaves beneath her feet and the whispers of the wind, wrapping around her like a familiar embrace. Sometimes she heard the woman, saw the room, felt the pills pressed to her lips, the cold, clinical atmosphere of the space stifling her spirit. But the forest always reclaimed her, pulling her back into its embrace, its colors brighter than the gray walls surrounding her, its air sweeter than the sterile tang of reality, infusing her with a sense of freedom she thought she had lost forever. The vibrant hues of wildflowers danced along the path, and the melody of birdsong filled her ears, a reminder that life thrived beyond the confines of her mind. 

One evening—or morning—she sat on the bench again, watching the sky burn orange, then soften to pink, painting a canvas of warmth that enveloped her. The voice called, fainter now, and she didn’t turn, for she was lost in the beauty surrounding her. “I’ll stay,” she said to the deer, to the trees, to the seasons that held her gently in their embrace. “This is where I belong.” The forest hummed in agreement, a symphony of rustling leaves and distant bird calls, and Lila let go, sinking into a world where dreams and reality were one, forever spring, forever fall, where the colors danced vibrantly in the air, wrapping her in a tapestry woven from the very essence of nature. She felt the soft touch of the breeze as it whispered secrets of the earth, and in that moment, she knew she was a part of something greater, something eternal. 

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