The Night By The Lake

The silver dust of moonlight settled coldly on the night. It was brisk tonight, so she pulled on her oversized black fleece hoodie. She slipped on her black and white skate shoes and left the trailer, making sure the door would not slam behind her. She began heading down the graveled path towards the lake. The path was lined with tall, dark, looming trees, fully in green. Looking up, she thought if someone were to climb one, they could touch a cloud in the sky, that’s how high the trees were. Maybe that is why they named this place Tall Timbers.

She reached the lake at the boat launch area, and glanced around. It was pitch black now, except for the moon and it’s reflection over the water, and the solitary street lamp that illuminated the now empty playground. She walked around the lake, heading towards the beach area. The white sand surrounded her sneakers with every step.

She reached the old picnic benches, wooden and splinter-prone, with carvings of couples names along the wood. As she viewed them, she sighed, and sat down. She stared out at the lake with the sounds of crickets flooding her ears. She wondered if he would show up on time, and when “on time” would actually be.

It was a calm, quiet, and lonely night out there. The ripples of the lake soothed the sky’s reflection, and when they stopped, if only for a second, the water would seem smoother than glass.

Her mind drifted away from there, remembering everything that had happened recently. Maybe all those things were what forced her to be alone and secluded from her family and friends, maybe those were the things that made her feel like there was no reason to wake up another morning, live another day, or breathe another breath...