30. Cherish

I am back in my dreams, travelling through the woodland. Everything is bright and fresh, the air smells like it has rained. That deeply earthy, pure scent that warms your soul. I notice my feet are bare as I ascend the path, a plain white cotton dress down to my ankles. I have never owned such an item before, yet it seems so familiar.

I am walking towards the sun, still low in the morning sky. Unlike my other dreams I can take in every detail. There is a delicate gold bangle on my wrist, it moves along my arm as I walk. Climbing further up the hill I find myself breathing harder, taking in lungs full of the crisp air, but I am not tired. Every breath seems to recharge my energy.

Finally, the last few tall pine trees are cleared, and I reach the top of the hill. The grassy space that I have returned to almost every night since being given to Ivan. Ahead of me are pine trees to the west, huge expanses of lakes and valleys to the east. The small brown and white wolf is there too, patie