Dreaming of Spring (Rewrite)

A Break

Noon, lunch break.

Most students find their way to the cafeteria for any sign of sustenance, London Retreat for a little caffeine to get them through the remaining hours of class and study, or in Castor's case, a time for him to escape from the watchful eyes of the facility and other students. While he would love to see his friends to mindlessly joke and laugh together in their limited free time on campus, lunch break is Castor's time.

Before the weather gets too bad during a normal British Columbia "winter" and Castor has to debate between wearing comfortable clothes that get wet or uncomfortable and waterproof stuff, lunch break is spent traversing the walking paths on the school grounds. Working on his playlists or sitting at his favourite spot, a very particular bench, hidden around the middle point of the Holy-Martyr Agatha pathway, a winding nature trail leading to a view that overlooks the pacific ocean, a wooden bench made of the ever popular lodgepole pine, stained jacobine brown and decorated with beautifully ornate copper legs, turned green by the elements over the decades.

A small plaque at the centre of the backrest, the same greenish copper hue, reads "This bench is dedicated in the memory of a remarkable woman who was the first head of the dormitories, a Stavrophore of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and collectively known by the youth she inspired as 'The Holy Guardian Mother' Mother Eugenia Theodosia. 1862-1947"

The break of the noise, a sliver of peace broken through the chaotic rush that is a normal day on campus is something that everyone looks forward to. Who wouldn't? The feeling of stress washing away from your body in-sync with the waves washing on to the shore below. An autumn breeze sneaking through the remaining leafy trees, around the bases of pines and redwoods. Dirt, rotting leaves and a touch of the ocean fill the air to bless or disgust those around and near. The gentle distant rumbling of a ferry crossing the ocean, a magnificent giant engineering feat, looking no larger than a toy accidentally discarded overboard by a child.

Finally alone, Castor took his usual seat on that bench (the left side, always the left side), taking in the movements and sound of the waves. Debating with himself if he needs his headphones in to enjoy this more, ultimately deciding that having only his thoughts and sounds of nature was not what he needed right now. Headphones in his ear and reaching for the smokes out of his bag, placing one between his lips, three attempts with his lighter and "let there be light" Castor thought. A long drag from his cigarette and Castor laid his head back as his mix of Mxmtoon and Bon Iver played. There was the peace and isolation he was looking for.

It was short lived as Castor felt a soft nudge to his left shoulder, like if a child or someone was trying to gently get his attention. The sudden touch startled Castor and made him jump in his seat. There stood a black-tailed buck, standing bigger than Castor was sitting. Its reddish-brown coat glistened in the light of the sun and stood looking at the same view. With his hand still shaking and the feeling of his heart going to explode, even though he knew this was the dumbest idea he he's had so far today, Castor reached out slowly towards the buck hoping to pet him without getting gorged on the muliforked dark brown antlers and adding red from his own blood. You know, Castor kinda needs that blood where it is, not decorating, more like destroying, the buck's coat. Then his cold hand met the wiry and soft coat, the buck didn't move, but did notice his hand, letting out a sigh and laying on the ground next to Castor. Both of them watching out over the water and taking in the quiet.

A hot sensation hit Castor's lips, his cigarette had burned to the filter and he let out a wince and the peaceful buck slowly got up and continued its way down the path, disappearing into the woods as quickly as it appeared. 'Shit, ' Castor thought and then checked his phone. 12:55. Time to head back to class. Until tomorrow Mother Eugenia.