It was a usual day for me - Shanice Alexandra Graham - in Lighthouse, Alabama. As I woke up I stretched my arms in the air, as the beautiful morning sun crept out from behind the huge, green mountains in which it slept. I looked on my night table to see the time on my Iphone-its face shiny black rimmed by mirror-finish stainless steel. I walked over to my pink and white bathroom and examined myself in my large bathroom mirror. I fingered my dark, black, curly, African-American hair and felt my silky smooth skin. “I can pass,” I mumbled to myself as I bent down underneath my cabinet to look for my favourite blue hairclip. “Not again! Where is that thing?” I murmured to myself. Just then my mother knocked on my door and entered.
”Aren’t you going to the park today to run?” she said.
“Yes mom. I’ll be ready soon.” I replied
“Okay,” she said exiting the room and closing the door behind her.
I found my clip, got dressed quickly and hurried downstairs to have a light snack. I rushed out of the house to the car to find my father patiently waiting.
“Let’s roll,” he said. And roll we did, cruising away leaving our crème- coloured house on Walnut Street.
When we reached the freshly painted “Welcome to Spring Valley Park” sign we said our goodbyes and I set out on my journey. I happily walked along the grey, stone path humming as I went. The trees and leaves seemed greener than usual and the purple pouied pathways protruded before me presenting my task. I soon fell into a light jog and the sun’s heat was now pelting my skin like hailstones. I decided to turn on my IPod that I had slipped into my pocket at the last minute while leaving the house along with a small bottle of water.
While running in this forest-like place, I started to think about my family because things have been a little different without my grandmother who died of cancer two months ago. I also started thinking about taking a different route my friends at school had been telling me about. My parents had always warned me to stay on my usual track because there are probably dangerous areas in unexplored parts of the park. I decided to take a break, sit down, and think and after two minutes of careful consideration, I decided to go. After all “What harm could slightly longer route do to me?”
As I was walking along the road, I let my mind wonder once more; school, faith, friends, and life – the usual. I inhaled the fresh, crisp, morning air and enjoyed my- I felt myself fall and tumble into a dark enclosed area- dark and moist. Plop! Something wet and slimy had landed on my shoulder and it felt like the creature I despised most- frogs. I quickly shook it off trying to imagine it was just a red ant because I realized I had bigger problems like the fact that there was water in this hole because I heard loud splashes as I stomped on the floor. I remembered that I had my IPod and the screen was well lit so I could use it as a flashlight; that is if it wasn’t already damaged by the moisture. I reached inside my pocket and felt for the device because by then my earphones were nowhere to be found. I located the small, square, blue device and pushed the play button and, light appeared. I lowered my arm to the ground and I realized I had entered my worst nightmare. There were frogs, tadpoles and mosquitoes everywhere. I wanted to scream but no sound came out of my mouth so I tried again bearing in mind that my mouth was my only source of communication.
It seemed as if I was alone and I was in a different world so I decided to walk because it seemed like an ongoing cave. I was careful not to step on any frogs but that was impossible so I had to do what I had to do. I found more frogs along the way which disgusted me. “Ants,” I said to myself “Just ants.”
I explored more and I also saw mossy rocks and flowers of all kinds. This place wasn’t that bad. It was actually sort of interesting. The smell was much better than outside the hole. Much crisper it was. While exploring I saw a strange figure moving towards me. It had the contours and curves of a male human.
“He-hel-lo, “I said shakily. I heard footsteps moving slowly toward me. The person had an object in his hands. I said I silent prayer. Dear Lord, I love, worship, and adore you. Please don’t let this person hurt me. Amen.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” the deep, masculine voice said.
“I was just leaving. I know I have no business here but I was just looking for a quick exit.” I said turning my back and beginning to walk swiftly away.
“Stay,” he commanded. I obeyed.”Explain. Fast”
From then on I basically explained how I’d gotten here. At one point I shone the light in his face and was suddenly mesmerized by his eyes and their unusual purple colour. He told me his name was Peter and that he fell in her too but for some reason I didn’t believe. If he didn’t live here or something, why was he guarding this place with his life and using such commanding tones? He put his hand on mine, pressing hard on my vein, telling me how beautiful I was. I then heard a familiar voice
“Wake up!”It was my mother.
“What! Where is Peter?”I said in a daze.
“Who is that? I won’t even bother. Get ready for you Saturday morning jog your father is waiting.” she said as she left the room. I really couldn’t believe this. That was not a dream. I looked out my window for my dad’s blue-green convertible but as I looked beyond that I saw someone leaning against the fruit-filled apple tree. It was a familiar face. If only I could just put my finger on it.
“Peter,” I said to myself.
I rushed over to my window to look if my wild dream had really occurred. I put in my contacts just to make sure and with that he was gone. Confusing is an understatement of how my life was after that dream with Peter.