reverent

two - summer solace

10 years ago

It is a humid summer night. The sweat slicks on my skin and makes the fabric sticky against it. Uncomfortable as it is, this does not matter. I have something way more important in mind. Frogs! By the time mom calls me home, I need to at least catch one of them. It is not every day a quest like this arises. Especially since I'm never usually out this late.

Today is a special occasion. Something about a housewarming party. It has brought me here to the new neighbor's house that has cooked up a storm in the backyard. In this space, I have been surrounded by strangers, both adults and kids alike. They scare me but like I said, this does not matter. I do not want to talk to them either. The only friends I have are the frogs.

In the distance are the other kids. Running around and playing games with one another, they catch tuffs of grass in their hair. Accompanied by the setting sun that watercolor the skies in pink, they seem at bliss. It makes me wonder -- how do they get along so well?

My nose scrunches and I huff, annoyed at myself. These thoughts will haunt me no more. There is no point dillydallying here, not when there is something far better than the game of tag they're playing. They wish they were me.

With one last glance at mom, it is confirmed that she is busy talking to the strangers. That is my cue, so I quickly sneak away... away and towards the small woods that sits behind this neighborhood. The land of it is small, and yet, there is still so much adventure to uncover. The critters, the plants, the hideouts. All of it I wish to see. But there is not enough time before the summer ends and school starts again.

I weave through the lanky trees, arms scraping passed branches to feel the rough graze of it. It is done on purpose, a simple reminder that this place accepted me, accepted me when nowhere else did.

The first destination is the small pond that is located at the center of this woodland. As frogs are known to generally stay in damp places, this was instantly on my mind. What wetter area than an actual body of water?

Small legs stretch out, their pace increasing as the pond grows closer. This excitement that thrums my heartstrings like a banjo, it keeps a small smile on my face. The skirts of my yellow sundress flies against the air and the soles of my sandles slaps the wet earth. An intake of a deep breath leaves me senseless, the smell of soil and life overfilling my nostrils. A skip to my step is added somewhere in the middle of the journey, the joy of this becoming abundantly clear. Sincerely. It is so easy to make me happy. I do not need anyone. I do not need those rowdy neighborhood kids. All I need is myself.

The pond creeps up on me, sparkling blue waters glistening in the dimming light of the world. The view of it has an immediate effect on me and I drop to my knees to hide behind the bush that is in front. It dirties my dress, but I heed no mind to it, eyes transfixed in the opening that surrounds the small body of water.

Not realizing the breath that is held in, I scan desperately for the species I yearn.

There it is. My limbs tense up to see the tiny, green lump that can only be a frog. It rests there with its throat bubble expanding in and out. A plan begins to form in my head, features twisting up while I think long and hard. It is a shame there are no tools with me, such as a net or something. The hands will have to do.

Just as I am about to push myself out from the bush to capture the frog, a figure comes out of nowhere. One blink later and the frog has disappeared, hopping away in fright -- hopping away like the hope that just dissipated within me. In horror, I freeze up and watch this new intruder. He stands there on the bank, back turned on me, facing the pond.

"Hey!" I holler, scrambling up from the bushes. Perhaps I should have inspected him for a while before doing anything rash. But I cannot help it. I don't know who this kid is, and he somehow has ruined it for me. He whirls around in surprise to the sound of my voice.