A winding dirt trail is where it began

through the vast vegetation and the cheering, colorful birds

the dark green Forest on either side of me

highlighting the path I longed to take

as I mounted my metal horse and aquired my armor

the soft breeze ushered me to begin

the low grunt of the steel horse as it began to move echoed through the desolate Forest

faster, faster I glided through the sky as if I was as light as a feather

The crunch of leaves and fallen bark showed me how deep in the Forest I was

the calm, serene clouds followed after me like children wanting a ride

the first time I felt the utter exhilaration of being free, in the moment

mounted on my steel horse was the same everytime after

bumping along a winding dirt trail

Many have heard of it

Few have experienced it

You hear stories of those who have survived it, but the stories of those who have been lost drift by like scraps of paper carried by a breeze

Those stories are not remembered, except by those who have awoken to find it at their door

You do not know how lucky you were until it comes knocking, like the grim reaper, demanding a place to stay

The knock however, falls on deaf ears, and because no one answers, it lets itself in

It waits for no one

It picks a place to hide, and grows

It spreads like a weed in a garden

It waits for no one

By the time you find it, hidden in the shadows, it is too late

It did not wait for you

Now there is a clock counting down

Unrelenting, unstoppable, and never slowing down

Now you wish you spent your time more wisely

Cancer waits for no one…