Fangfei Liu, Shenzhen BASIS International School

I’m holding some matches I found in a corner

I think someone left them for me to discover

Then I see it, I see the door

It has been waiting for me I know

It anticipated my arrival

Somewhere deep inside me, I think I’ve always known

A dancing voice rises from the glorious shadows and I see the man

Metal-heavy air drowns my scream

“Come with me,” he says. “Come with me

“And run far away from this vulgar dream”

My heart beats fast. I’m afraid it will tire soon

Warm breaths escape my lungs. I’m afraid they will turn cold soon

Step by step I walk through the door, going straight to the man

Leaving all my matches behind and surrendering like a lamb

“That’s right, that’s right,” he says it twice

“Don’t rely on the matches for their fire, they could burn you alive

“Embrace this darkness and never look back”

I follow the man, but hesitate with a chill

Although I worship the night, it does not make me feel real

I miss the starlight and its radiant beams

If fire kills, then let it kill!

At least it will burn brightly and gleam

I am not willing to die for darkness

Because darkness is not me

I decide to turn back and ignore the man’s roar

I run through the darkness and step through the door

I lock it behind me and close it with force

Then I pick up the matches I dropped on the floor

I’m holding some matches I found in a corner

I know now that someone left them for me to discover

My heart beats fast and my breath is shaky

I light the matches and keep on dreaming