On Cloud Nine

A Story by Ibrahim Shah

This is a descriptive narrative essay about my travels to the Pacific Hawk Forest (imaginary) in Northern Australia

Ah yes! The famous Hawk Forest, it’s one of nature’s wonders. Located in the heart of the north of Australia, the beauty of this natural woodland is unmatchable.

The moment you get to the borders of the forest, it’s like you’re stepping in a different world. The best time to visit it is in autumn where a myriad of magnificent aged trees of dark cedar, hardy pine, broad chestnut with fragrant white flowers and thick oak, cover the whole forest and scent the air with their dusty and peppery aromas.

The air is also hinted with the fragrances that are suitable for a time like autumn: chamomile, spiced apple, sweet maple and cinnamon. The forest is at its most colorful when the rays of the setting sun shine right through the gaps in the trees and bring the red, brown, cinnamon, violet, and citrus colored autumn leaves to life.

The light cool breeze blowing through the forest, picking up the fallen leaves coupled with the warm sunlight and the calming serenade of the hornet birds makes one feel like they’re taking a stroll in Paradise.

If you walk some miles west of the forest, you’d find yourself listening to the peaceful strum of flowing freshwaters in the rivers till viola, there the river is in its beauty, hidden like a gem in the dark, the rich golden rays of the sun reach out to just merely kiss the crystal waters. This in my opinion would be a perfect retreat for writers and people who are just looking to get out of the city for a long time.

In this vast forest toward the north, creatures of nature gather round (although hidden from a human’s sight) to observe the unknown that has found itself in this forest (meaning us).

Occasionally in hidden areas one can find a bushel or two of luscious forest fruits, these gems of nature are just small morsels of heaven, dying to be bitten into and will leave your hunger sated (at least for a while).

Perhaps the crowning glory of the forest is the famous lake that most have christened as Heaven’s Gate, a lake of melted aquamarine (crystal-clear blue waters) that gleams as drops of sunlight from the heavens kiss the mysterious blue waters. What makes this lake stand out so much is the majestic fern covered stone archway that extends from one end of the lake to the other (horizontally) the archway makes a visiting tourist feel like an insignificant ant in its sight.

To the east of the forest lies a wood covered in red-leaved maple trees, it could be considered as the dark heart of the forest with its branches black as the night and bloodlike leaves flowing and about silently in the wind. It would make anyone wonder “Is this a private retreat for Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts?”

A mist that just screams out the word “eerie” and is sure to give one a good shiver up their spine, surrounds the wood and who knows there could be a bloodthirsty wolf lurking about silently in the shadows ready to devour unsuspecting prey within a matter of seconds. Only those who’d want to play the Roman fool would venture into those parts.

As you’d venture north you’d notice that the sky becomes riddled with smoky and charcoal-grey clouds this means the journey upward would be cold and would put you in hot water if you’re not dressed appropriately. The soil would become darker and more moist to the left its most likely that you’d stumble upon a lake that shines so brightly as the setting sun kisses it, that you’d think the waters have been touched by Midas.

But as with all good things, they must come to an end with you finally reaching the feet of a cold-hearted snow queen (personification for a snow capped mountain) she would kill all those atop her with her frigid powers and they’d lie in her icy grasp for the rest of eternity, so if I were you I’d not venture that far north.

When I entered into that forest it left me believing that God invited me to a heaven on earth.