Amnesia

C26: The Woods

"I bet I could make it in under a minute." Steve grinned at me.

"Yeah right." Natasha retorted.

"I don't know... this is Steve we're talking about."

Steve loves to run.

I glared out into the tree-filled park in front of me taking in the warm sunrise, and then looking to Natasha and Steve standing at my sides. We were on another one of our morning runs, but leave it to Steve to make it a competition.

"Seriously?" Natasha glared at me.

I shrugged my shoulders and turned my head over towards the trail buried behind trees. It was Steve's favorite part of the park; we ran the muddy wooded path at least three times a week, every time he timed himself to see how fast he could make it through without tripping or stumbling over some rocks or a branch. I guess today's trial was trying to make it in under a minute. He could do it, he knows he can, he's just showing off.

"So anyone want to attempt to beat me?"

He tilted his head over towards his shoulder and gave me that bright eyed smile.

"No." I rolled my eyes.

"Please?"

I stared off into the woods that we would soon be running in and then back to Steve.

"Whoever wins gets to take a shower first." He sighed.

"Oh yes I can agree with that." I nodded, walking off towards the path.

"Come on guys. You're gonna leave me with all the cold water!" Natasha called from behind us.

"Better catch up Romanoff!" Steve said sprinting out in front of me.

I darted behind him as he started speeding up towards the trees.

"You guys are dicks."

"Typically, yeah." I called back to her.

Within a few seconds we were into the woods, and the morning sun was beating down on our faces as it shone through the trees.

If I wasn't thinking about not tripping, I would've actually been able to take in how much of a beautiful morning this was. It was sunny, warm, and the breeze smelt faintly like flowers, or perhaps it was just the budding weeds growing next to the path.

Steve was in front of me, whipping past all the branches that swung out in front of our faces. I listened to the crunch of old leaves under his feet as they sped out in front of each other.

I watched as he jumped over a tree trunk, and I followed, remembering the dead tree that had fallen last month. I looked back, watching for Natasha, but she wasn't in sight. We passed a rotting picnic table marking where I would usually time him for speed runs.

"Half way through Steve. Natasha's waaaay back there. I'm pretty sure you're gonna win." I called out to him.

We ran along the tree line of a small drop off. Down below a little creek ran silently down the small rocks. I watched as a squirrel ran through the leaves and across the the pebbles that lined the creek, thinking that this might be the only peaceful place in this entire godforsaken city.