Maisie smiles over at me as we sit in the cold truck. “It’s a beautiful night,” she says. I nod, staring into her perfect eyes. She’s so beautiful, I can’t even bring myself to smile.

Maisie looks over her shoulder, smiling as she turns back to me. “Hey, why don’t we watch the fire works from the—“

“Back of the truck?” I finish her sentence.

Maisie nods brushing her bangs out of her face. “Yeah.”

We climb out of my old truck. Making our way to the back. It’s pretty dirty, my brother doesn’t let me park it in the garage so it’s been having a rough life in the driveway.

“Sorry about the mess,” I say as we climb into the back.

Maisie sits on the tail gate as I settle mysel next to her.

“I’m not picky,” Maisie whispers.

I half smile, my eyes glued to Maisie’s. Even though it’s pitch black out here and I can’t see anything. I can see Maisie. I’ll never forget her sweet smile, or the way her eyes shine when she’s happy.

A soft breeze blows a strand of Maisie’s hair into her face. Before she can lift her hand to brush it behind her ear my hand is already grazing her cheek.

I tuck her hair behind her ear, unable to look away from her eyes.

Maisie leans close her cold hand wrapping around my neck as she kisses me.

When she pulls away, my hand is still gently touching her cheek.

“What was that for?” I mumble, my nose gently brushing hers.

Maisie smiles. “I didn’t want to wait.”

I laugh, bringing my other hand to her cheek as the a huge burst of colors light up the sky behind us.

Our lips touch just as another explosion lights up the field.

Alone with the night That hugs us like a mother.

Her kisses are bright stars That leave golden bruises on warm skin.

The glow was real Our founding gods have died leaving only but light We are the only ones left

There are ships taking us back Second of death we arrive The beyond kill

Where they are roaming in search of the abundant information

The sun is so bright It smites the dark The sun is just the biggest star

An explosion happens every second inside the sun That's out love. That's us.

You and me. Every sight, touch, and smell. We share together is its own explosion.

It's our history, The sun is our bright past, present, and future... You are my only star.

Let's grow together Let's make our last big bang together Let's create a new world.

Ride it into the darkness While the sun slowly bussin.

The quiet of the moonless night is pierced by the cars headlights, much like the quiet of my mind being shattered by the arrival of a wake up call, bright and intense. In much the same way as a car driving down a darkened country lane suddenly lights up it’s surroundings with it’s piercing headlights, my mind can sometimes announce an arrival of a thought process, or a depressing moment or indeed a thoughtful episode, by blasting my hitherto relaxed, deep and quiet mind. Sometimes it is a slow process which has been arriving for some time, and is finally here. Sometimes, it arrives unannounced from the depths of who knows where. Either way, it’s arrival has to be dealt with on one way or another. For me, I am often startled by the intense nature of my thoughts, or a particular thought, that gives rise to a number of different processes, all of which I need to address in one way or another. Sometimes this is an easy task, and I can usually find a solution to it in the long run, I don’t obsess about it and satisfy myself that all will be well. Other tasks or worries are inherently different, dark, foreboding, and often not resembling a thought at all. They are a feeling of some description, arising from the depths of my mind, exactly like the sudden arrival of a car, lit by its intense high beam headlights. Sometimes I know where I am going with the feeling, and other times I am lost in it, again a little bit like a darkened country lane that you are not at all familiar with. You have your lights to guide you, but to where exactly?

There’s no slowing Where am I going Somethings glowing But not showing Speeding toward Oh lord It can’t be ignored Like a teacher when you’re bored Like a knife when you have a sword Futile You got a knife? I got a missile Should have turned back Before you become a burned stack Needle in a... Distant glimmer Ever closer Ever dimmer Do as your told and pay attention If it’s in change I won’t mention Pay up to ease the tension