Sleepless, I walk into the absent night. It seems that without an audience, mother nature has

grown careless - omitting stars and warmth and romance. My aimless feet take me to places

less favoured, and here, man has not picked up nature's slack. At the end of the road there is a

hole in the trees, a path marking the end of civilisation. Absentmindedly, I walk in, my thought

that the lack of solutions that rob me of sleep revolves around people, people and their absence.

I can get away.

The path has less of a destination than I do, presenting me with endless twists and turns in the

noiseless monotone. Flatness ends in incline, and in my heart, hope fails to kindle. I don't have

a better option, though, so I keep on the same course without change. Without warning, a branch

in the bushes snaps, reminding me of my unprotected state. The time between my footfalls rapidly

becomes less, while my lungs huff and heart pumps faster and faster to feed oxygen-starved muscles.

Reason has left my brain. I run and run and run, reaching the end of the hill only to -

to be mesmerised. Light! Ten thousand scintilating streetlights arranged in snowflake patterns

that stretch onto a horizon, meeting a sky pregnant with fire. I stand stock still, sucking in an

amazed breath at the low flying mist, lit up like a chemical coalescence over endless lines of

patriotic celebration. I fill my lungs deeply with the brisk night air in sudden satisfaction at

what I've found - this singular and private vista.

Still winded from my sprint up the slope, I search for a spot to rest my adrenaline suffused

limbs. A spacious boulder presents itself; I smile and step towards it. As I get closer, I notice a

tree behind it, covered with initials, hearts, and plusses. Apparently, I am not the first to savour

this view. I sit and stretch - there's ample room - and and unwanted thought creeps into my

head:

"There's always a vacancy..."