To Live.

Its night time and im out the door into the night after a long day

bent over the drawing table. Running across the wet grass and staring

up at a night sky full of stars. This is one of those nights that there

are so many stars in the sky that you feel like you can see the whole

universe, all the way to the end, and i almost lose my balance.

And now im weightless. breath a white puff.

This is that moment i live for.

this is that moment that is being alive.

the height of the swing, and the sick feeling in my stomach

just before gravity and chains catch me.

to stare at the stars atop a mountain as the clouds rush 30 feet overhead

at impossible speed

to jump across a gap between buildings, and look down 6 stories at the

street below as you glide over it.

the sad feeling in your heart, after a great book, or movie.

to lay in a bed of strange plants laughing with friends at the worst joke

youve ever heard, but you cant stop laughing.

to see an animal take its last breath.

to finish drawing a story that took you months to complete.

to have your hands pulled into warm pockets on a cold night, fingers entwined.

to see a paper plane you just made get caught in the wind and fly up 200 yards

and out of sight down to the end of the street into infinity.

its like life slapping me in the face and wrapping around me

flowing through every part of me and everything around me.

Tonight on the swings i climb to the top and sit on the crossbar of the

whole set, 12 feet high.

i pull the swing up and wrap the chain around my neck, then lower myself

hanging by my freezing hands.

Im getting scared and the metal is so cold i start slipping.

this is stupid. i dont want this..

i dont want to die yet.. there was something i needed to do...

i needed to say something to someone. one word

not yet. and im scraping at the chain at my neck with one hand, while

the other numb hand is slowly sliding free from the crossbar. dont die yet.

suddenly im in a dark room, and i can hear what is supposed to be my mother

on the other side of the door. shes saying something so faint i can hardly

make out the words.. its my name. its 2:32am. shes saying not to die.

shes telling me i dont have to die.

there is a pile of puke in the corner opposite me and tears are running hot

down my face.

I feel hands holding me up under my feet as i work out of the swing-chain-noose.

a second later i fall to the sand below and collapse onto my side, breathing heavy

white explosions in front of my mouth against a sea of stars.

im alive.. and for a second.. its all that matters.

walking home, jumping in the parking lot.. dancing for a passing car.

jump into a bush, balance across the back of a bench. and im smiling

just like when i went to bed last night.

and outside the door to my room, under millions of stars

i cant say that one word.

that word hasnt been invented yet.