that night. The sound of laughter and cheerful voices could be heard from outside.
When everyone appeared full, Chance stood up and collected the dishes, taking them to the kitchen. Ana joined him at the sink and they began washing dishes together, like it was common place.
Ana took a plate from Chance, placing it into the dishwasher, asking, “There’s one more picture I’d really like to take. You don’t have to if you need to head home…but it’s perfect out right now.”
Ana imagined being under the night stars with Chance, and it filled her up with so much joy, it leaked out forcing her to smile. New found happiness pulled her in, like a drug. She wanted, or maybe needed more. Ana decided she would face the real world later.
“Great-no bear could keep me away.” Chance splashed water at Ana who laughed and splashed him back.
After finishing up, they dried their hands and went searching for their cameras for the last images of the night.
Outside, with cameras around their necks, Chance took the lead again, knowing he had better night vision. The thought made him chuckle.
The waxing moon provided plenty of pale light along with a multitude of glimmering stars, ready to pose for a picture.
After getting dozens of photos of the night sky, Ana seemed satisfied. She turned to Chance, grinning, “Well, we should have enough to work with. Out of all of those images there has to be a few that’ll work.” She paused before continuing, “Thanks for coming over today-I enjoyed myself.”
“Me too,” he whispered. Chance flashed his dimples in the silvery light.
He took the lead again, and walked Ana through the concealed pathway, around the brightly lit house to his truck parked discretely on the driveway.
Ana moved toward him uncertainly and gave him a sudden hug goodbye.
Chance was surprised by it and then by the mysterious heartbeat against him, knowing it was unusual. The syncopated beat joined with his, making a unique musical rhythm. Their own song.
They parted and said goodbye. Ana watched as he darted to his truck and backed out of the driveway. The red glow of his taillights disappeared into the darkness and the dust trail rose and dispelled. She watched until the night was calm and unstirred once again.
After finishing her homework, Ana grabbed a sweatshirt and returned to the forested observatory alone.
She lay watching the stars, accepting the occasional bat flitting by her line of sight. She remembered the poem assigned in English was to write about not truly understanding a person until you walked in their shoes. Different possibilities tumbled in her head until a shadow much larger than the bats flew above her. Its movement was oddly disjointed and unlike any bird she could think of. Considering the time of night, she figured it was probably just an injured owl. A large owl.
A poem began to fill her head, forming like a song. Hazel eyes flashed through her memory while soft humming poured from her chest. She sat up as the words coursed through her. If only I had brought a notebook! She hoped the phrasing wouldn’t get jumbled in her busy mind.
The evergreens encircling her observatory held her close. A statuesque fir offered a perch for a black form with pale yellow eyes. There was such a large array of wild life here; she didn’t mind being a minority in the forest. Animals were simple, she mused, they lived their lives in such a basic way it was refreshing.
A snapping and rustling from a nearby fir drew her attention back to where the yellow eyes had been. She could sense movement on an upper branch and smiled, having a private laugh. What a clumsy owl, she thought and went back to work on the poem that streamed from her moments earlier.
She sang her poem to the night sky and to the watchful visitor in the trees until her eyes began closing at the sound of crickets. She stumbled back to the house.
When she settled in bed, she gazed out her window while tendrils of sleep
When everyone appeared full, Chance stood up and collected the dishes, taking them to the kitchen. Ana joined him at the sink and they began washing dishes together, like it was common place.
Ana took a plate from Chance, placing it into the dishwasher, asking, “There’s one more picture I’d really like to take. You don’t have to if you need to head home…but it’s perfect out right now.”
Ana imagined being under the night stars with Chance, and it filled her up with so much joy, it leaked out forcing her to smile. New found happiness pulled her in, like a drug. She wanted, or maybe needed more. Ana decided she would face the real world later.
“Great-no bear could keep me away.” Chance splashed water at Ana who laughed and splashed him back.
After finishing up, they dried their hands and went searching for their cameras for the last images of the night.
Outside, with cameras around their necks, Chance took the lead again, knowing he had better night vision. The thought made him chuckle.
The waxing moon provided plenty of pale light along with a multitude of glimmering stars, ready to pose for a picture.
After getting dozens of photos of the night sky, Ana seemed satisfied. She turned to Chance, grinning, “Well, we should have enough to work with. Out of all of those images there has to be a few that’ll work.” She paused before continuing, “Thanks for coming over today-I enjoyed myself.”
“Me too,” he whispered. Chance flashed his dimples in the silvery light.
He took the lead again, and walked Ana through the concealed pathway, around the brightly lit house to his truck parked discretely on the driveway.
Ana moved toward him uncertainly and gave him a sudden hug goodbye.
Chance was surprised by it and then by the mysterious heartbeat against him, knowing it was unusual. The syncopated beat joined with his, making a unique musical rhythm. Their own song.
They parted and said goodbye. Ana watched as he darted to his truck and backed out of the driveway. The red glow of his taillights disappeared into the darkness and the dust trail rose and dispelled. She watched until the night was calm and unstirred once again.
After finishing her homework, Ana grabbed a sweatshirt and returned to the forested observatory alone.
She lay watching the stars, accepting the occasional bat flitting by her line of sight. She remembered the poem assigned in English was to write about not truly understanding a person until you walked in their shoes. Different possibilities tumbled in her head until a shadow much larger than the bats flew above her. Its movement was oddly disjointed and unlike any bird she could think of. Considering the time of night, she figured it was probably just an injured owl. A large owl.
A poem began to fill her head, forming like a song. Hazel eyes flashed through her memory while soft humming poured from her chest. She sat up as the words coursed through her. If only I had brought a notebook! She hoped the phrasing wouldn’t get jumbled in her busy mind.
The evergreens encircling her observatory held her close. A statuesque fir offered a perch for a black form with pale yellow eyes. There was such a large array of wild life here; she didn’t mind being a minority in the forest. Animals were simple, she mused, they lived their lives in such a basic way it was refreshing.
A snapping and rustling from a nearby fir drew her attention back to where the yellow eyes had been. She could sense movement on an upper branch and smiled, having a private laugh. What a clumsy owl, she thought and went back to work on the poem that streamed from her moments earlier.
She sang her poem to the night sky and to the watchful visitor in the trees until her eyes began closing at the sound of crickets. She stumbled back to the house.
When she settled in bed, she gazed out her window while tendrils of sleep
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