One Shot

Chapter 1

  The day I took the picture started out like any of my other days. Yell goodbye to Mom, school, and the photography session by myself at the park. I thought it was going to be normal, until I took the one picture.

   "MOM! I'M LEAVING!" I yelled down the steps, running out the door with my keys in hand, and camera in my backpack. As always, she didn't answer and I sighed. Leaving, with the door shutting behind me and my car keys dangling from my right pointer finger.

   School was a simple thing, made to torture us. It was boring, and my brain was dying to be nursed with a touch of creativity all day.

   When the bell rang, signalling the end of the day, I leapt out of my desk and speed-walked to the entrance of the school. The doors clangged shut behind me just before the rush of students shouldered through them again.

   My backpack was slightly swaying on my back as I powered through the blocks it took to get to the park. On my way, I was greeted by Jeanie. Jeanie was the neighborhoods kind old woman who always gave candy out to children and sat to feed the birds in the park.

   She was like the grandmother I never had, so I had to stop and say hi to her. Already wasting some of my precious time to take photos.

  "Hello Darling! How was your day?" Jeanie greeted me kindly with a wave of her hand.

  "Oh, hey there Jeanie! Didn't see ya there!" I snapped and swung my arm in a 'darn!' kind of way, "My day was good! I was just, you know, heading towards the park like everyday after school!" I pointed and gestured in the general direction of the park, making my motions exaggerated. Hoping she would get the hint that I was going somewhere.

   "Oh! Dear me! I forgot! Now, don't let me hold you up! You better show me your pictures one of these days!" Jeanie waved me off and gave me a humorous lecture while I nearly sprinted away.

   Finally at the park, I sighed and stopped at one of my favorite benches. Relishing in the peace and calm of the nature around me, I began to take some pictures of the birds. First a cardinal, then a bluebird, a couple chickadees,  blackbirds, and other common birds.

   While taking pictures, I couldn't help but notice that someone else was there with me. A boy. With a hoodie and his own camera. I moved from my spot and continued through the park. Snapping shots of anything that I sought out. 

   I never got a good look at his face. All I know is that when I took the picture, he was in it and I was too shocked to say anything as he snapped one of me at the same time. Both of us had our cameras up to our faces and neither of us saw the other until we had snapped the picture.

   My first thought was to run up to the guy and forcibly pull his hoodie back to see who he was. But, given that probably isn't the nicest and most responsible way to act upon first meeting someone, I ran.

   As you can tell, my natural second response to danger is flight. Like in Fight or Flight? Which one you would chose in the face of danger. Well, turns out my first is fight and second is flight. Given I was considering almost choking the guy with how forcefully I pulled back his hoodie. Well. I guess this probably isn't the best example of fight or flight. Since I wasn't really in a life or death situation. Or was I? I have no idea! This guy could've been some sort of murderer, so I ran, and didn't stop.