Second Star to the Left

I planned a road trip, but then haphazardly decided that I would take a detour.
The scenic route—long and winding—I decided that solitude was the cure.
A perfect time to rest while healing; a moment of fun meant to unwind and reassure.
I took a left—in retrospect, it was probably a decision made slightly premature.

Instead of turning around, I decided it was best to keep moving forward.
Each mile was another decision made—every acre, a memory I hadn’t yet sorted.
I’d been driving for so long that the nature around me started feeling distorted—
Highway dissociation: brain and body disconnect, and suddenly I’m transported.

With the music blaring, my mind distracted, I guess I somehow missed the signs of warning.
I had driven through the night until the sky above turned rosy—
And the loud chirping of birds reminded me that the world was transforming.
Everything seemed to be going exactly as planned—until suddenly, my tire exploded.

I guess all of the miles had finally caused damage—or maybe the road had eroded.
I stepped out, not onto gravel, but something softer—like memory dressed as terrain.
The trees leaned in like old friends with secrets, and the wind called me by a forgotten name.

I know this place… I just can’t seem to understand why, but my senses are set aflame
A familiar scent—so similar that you’re left to wonder if it was really the same.
The sky felt heavier here, like it carried the weight of stories never spoken,
And the ground held echoes of laughter—fractured, but never quite broken.

There were footprints that danced too lightly to belong to anyone grown,
And a shadow that flickered near mine, though I swear I was standing alone.
I took a slow breath through my nose, steadying myself, trying to cope.
Then came a sharp trace of cologne—just enough to stir memory and hope.

In my mind, a memory—fleeting and soft—of a lamp no longer lit, finally out of watts.
My stomach knotted, my vision blurred, until my eyes caught those little white dots.
Frantically, I’m turning my mind in search for an exit from this inconvenient twist in plot,
Lost inside of an army green—a dusting of pixie dust—a feeling that I never once forgot.

A forceful fall into memories that I buried in my backyard—you’d recognize the spot.
Standing frozen in the same place from before—you’d think enough distance would break the lore.
Whispered lies flying through the air as the wind shook me to my core.
I reach behind me—my hand seeking the cool comfort of the handle for the door.

But the handle feels foreign, like it doesn’t belong to me anymore.
A shiver crawls across my back as the forest begins to implore—
Leaves rustling warnings in a language I almost understand,
While something glints in the corner, something between a promise and a reprimand.

I closed my eyes just long enough that when they opened, I found myself in fairy land.
My shoes and socks now left filthy—covered in the unexpected sand.
I know the location, but if I was being honest, this wasn’t part of today’s plan.
A second slipped away—then he appeared: a silhouette, a man.
Well, I guess you could call him a man—but really, he was just a boy reaching for my hand.