𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙽𝙳 || Original Story

twenty-two | summer

Today was the perfect summer's day. The breeze was warm, the light some through the trees and dappled the grass, flowers bloomed and swayed in unison. I felt as though I needed to be outside in order to fully enjoy and appreciate the warmth and the serene atmosphere.

I discovered not so long ago that the road running from the village, past the bottom of Old Farm's path and towards the hills would eventually lead to one of the most spectacular sights you could possibly see in the countryside. I decided that's where I would be heading today.

Felix sat on the kitchen floor, with his head tilted slightly and tail flicking, as he stared at me packing bits of snacks and a flask into a picnic basket. He meowed loudly as if to be begging for food, so I broke off half a cracker and threw it to him. He quickly snatched it up and it was gone within seconds.

I was rather surprised to find that Felix was, indeed, here to stay. He showed no signs of wanting to leave me or the house in search of something better, which relieved me as I enjoyed his silent company. I'd grown so accustomed (and rather attached) to having him around that I would be truly sad to see him go. I'd also learnt his favourite places for sitting and sleeping (he liked the south-facing window in one of the spare rooms the best because of the constant warmth and sunshine).

I smiled, listening to Felix purr as I took the basket from the work top and brought it with me into the hallway, setting it down on the staircase before grabbing my most appropriate jacket for battling the breezes up on the hills and my bag, which contained my journal and camera.

The walk from the village wasn't particularly long, perhaps fifteen minutes, but I stopped several times on the way through the fields and up the hill to take photographs and to pick the occasional flower to press into my journal. When I was younger, a therapist once told me that pressing flowers is a nice way to create artwork that might help with anxiety. Whilst I've never made any art with them, I've pressed flowers and leaves as a more physical reminder of the walks I liked to go on. This also included a petal from the sunflowers that Kate brought me for my birthday.

There was a stream that ran down the hill. It glittered like millions of sparkling diamonds and the few small birds nearby paddled in the water and pecked at it for a drink seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I trundled a little further up to where a vast, lonely tree stood, its branches stretching out towards the sky like arms reaching for the heavens. It was the perfect place to enjoy the scenery and to relax.

I perched myself under the shade of the tree with my bag and the basket by my side, leaning against the trunk and sighing with contentment. Light shone through the canopy of leaves, dappling my clothes and the grass in a golden hue. I couldn't help but smile at how stunning the view was and pulled out my camera to take a photograph. I could see Maplebrook amongst the abundance of greenery, the road that ran into the village, and I could just about make out Old Farm's chimney. Beyond that was more trees, a whole vast ocean of them, and the neighbouring village, whose name had slipped my mind. As well as the spectacular view, I enjoyed the pure sound of chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the faint trickling of water.

It was very unlike London. Frankly, I preferred it this way. The twittering birds and the silence of the valley was the tranquility that I sought after when I came to Maplebrook. And now that I knew it wasn't too far from home, I'd be coming up here more often.

In that moment, as I began to munch on an apple, Kate sprung to mind. I was reminded of her lovely, chocolate-coloured gaze and the splattering of freckles on her pale skin as well as her pretty floral dresses and radiant smile. I liked to imagine that she would come up to this hill and pick daisies to make chains out of them. And to imagine the amber glow of her eyes and the shimmer of caramel in her hair when she was under the rays of the sun. I wouldn't be surprised if she frequented up here; it's something I think she would love immensely. Perhaps I'd run into her at some point when strolling amongst the long grass and wild flowers.

I sat under the tree until sundown and watched as the sky turned from blue to a canvas of pinks, oranges, and yellows. It was a beautiful evening and I wished I could have stayed up on the hill for longer, but I had no more food and the air was beginning to go cooler- not particularly suitable for my thin shirt and jacket. So, I collected my belongings and headed back down the hill.

Felix was waiting for me when I got back. He was sat on the bottom step of the staircase, his tail twitching, but got up as soon as he saw me enter the house.

"Hello, F-Felix," I greeted with a smile, then watching as he followed me to the kitchen where I unpacked the picnic basket and cleaned everything up.

I made myself soup for tea after I fed Felix. He then left me to no doubt fall asleep on his favourite cushion in the living room as I sat in silence at the kitchen table. As I ate, I went through the photos I took and read over what I'd written in my journal, looking back on my restful day. The Polaroids I'd taken were rather lovely (if I do say so myself) and I couldn't wait to proudly put them in the box with my collection of other photographs.

I fell asleep that night, my lungs filled with fresh air and feeling as though I was still in the little paradise at the top of the hill.