The Light draws you in. Do you proceed?

Red Forest

Red. The was Red everywhere. Red roses, red leaves, red wood. The crimson filled my senses, clawing its way up my nose and through my eyes, its pungent smell intoxicating me. The roses wandered and swirled with every breath of the wind, their waxy petals fluttering along the winding path and through the spindly arms of the trees. They twisted and tugged at my short, wispy hair, beckoning me further; towards the light.

Every dazzle of sunshine through the trees blinded me, and the cacophony of thousands of leaves in unison reverberated around my skull, tightening my dry, pricking throat, as though some of their thorns had become entangled with my vocal cords. Memories of honey and lemon tea drifted through my mind: a school picture day, fractured bones. The Light seemed to offer that time of peace and comfort from before, welcoming me home with open arms.

I stumbled closer, desperately, longing trying to grasp that memory of safety, twigs and rocks scratching my bare feet, the light seeping through my fingers as though I tried to grasp the sea - it was futile. 

A twig snapped, a pebble plummeted down, down, down and with a distant splash into the water below. I fumbled for a moment, trying to reconfigure myself with my surroundings. Picking up a small, smooth stone with my trembling hands, I turned it around in my fingers, its cool surface drawing the clammy heat from them. It was littered with cracks and dents, little pieces of moss and dirt still clinging onto it. Placing it in the pocket of my scratchy coat, I opened my eyes fully and took in my surroundings. 

AN: This is as much as I wrote in my class (as I said, it was just a short story), but I'd be happy to continue if anyone wanted to read more of this? Let me know! Also, I would appreciate absolutely any constructive criticism (or compliments) as I'm very new to creative writing.