an it's 623 words. i hope it makes sense...
He didn't need to open his eyes. He knew what was happening, what he should listen to even

if it was still silent. There was a pile of leaves underneath his head, it was better than

any pillow he'd ever used. It felt strange to be in this forest for the first time, and even

stranger that everything seemed so familiar, as if he had been here before, as if he was

born here. There had been times when he didn't want to hear the legends, days in his nursery

room when he played with snippets of paper while his sisters listened to the old stories and

asked all the questions. He knew better now. Within a few minutes he'd hear the rustling of

leaves in the distance. Something or someone would float into the small clearing, and even

the night owls would wait with their usual hooting until it was over, until time moved on

again.

Ah, there it was, just as he'd stopped paying attention. He'd missed the first cracking of

twigs. Now was the best time to look up before he would go unnoticed. He was still startled.

He was convinced someone should first call his name. Instead he heard music, and it seemed

as if the trees heard it too. It was a soft melody and he'd never heard it before, but it

made the wind blow softly and the trees seemed to whisper. Finally he sat upright, slightly

afraid that it had been a dream, but no, the music was still there. At last he opened his

eyes. The only new thing was a harp, but it seemd to float in the air and play on its own.

what was happening here? Why didn't he see a woman, or aforest spirit, or another boy like

him? Why was he sudnenly so scared that someone else had found a better spot and was hoping

to take his place?

Then he had an idea. He turned around and picked up hsi own instrument. With one hand above

th e strings he waited for the first pause that was long enough for him to play some notes

in reply. And when that finally happened the wind calmed down. The music on the other side

went on and oddly enough he couldn't help joining in. His playing was nothing compared to

the melodies from the other harp. He looked up, and saw how things materialized around him.

There were more trees, there were birds he'd never seen beore, and the harp wasn't drifting

in the air. It's player moved closer now and he forgot what he was doing. Only his ears

noticed that he was still making music. but did this beautiful girl seee where she was

going? If he didn't say something soon she would stumble over him ndd they would both fall.

It was the last thought he noticed before something soft and warm fell oer him and the

ground beneath him fell away. Only then did the night birds wake up and give their first

calls. There were far more than he ever remembered, and they hooted, screetched and

fluttered around him and he wanted them to leave because they seemed to wake up the whole

forest. Where was the music? Where was the girl? All he found was air and light and far too

many wings flapping too close to his ears. Was this what it eelt like? was he really a part

of the night sky now? Would he stay like this for ever? When the birds flew down and aw for

him at last, he suddenly felt he didn't want the answer to any of those questions. He was

looking forward to meet the other stars.