i want to see a waft of falling snowflakes against the midnight sky, so i slowly look up. the air is static and dry, so still that if i were to lie down, the rise and fall of my chest would still tell me that i'm moving. i see small white dots drift randomly downwards. the sky is a deep blue-gray, and light grey stars peep through the frothy clouds. the dry air stings my eyes, so i blink them, slightly irritated and searching for a place to sleep. large rocks unresponsive and deposited lie next to a young birch tree to the right. i usually think that in those nooks and crannies i will find gems, like bells that ring so quietly that the air seems to fuzz, or thin strands of wampum. i can't make the wampum, and there's nothing i can do about that. so, these gems are miracles of the endless forest. i think my thoughts imitate a number slide puzzle, but...