Sections One and Two

At around five in the evening I decided to venture around my neighborhood and find a bench. I put on my fuzzy winter boots, and four layers of clothing and headed up Grand Boulevard Park. Snow covered the path that once existed, so I trekked up the side, breaking through the thin ice layer that shielded the soft powder beneath my every step. After some tripping and sliding I managed to reach the top of the first block, then the next, until I arrived at the most peculiar bench I had ever seen. It was carved and painted to look like a neighborhood; the backing resembled a row of houses. Although it was dark I could see the houses alternated in colour from blue to yellow. There were four houses in total, and they resembled houses along Grand Boulevard road. Each was quite detailed, with its own little garden, beautifully matching trims, and adorable windows and doors. They almost resembled dollhouses- so neat and pretty. The seat was a cornflower blue, but above the houses there was no sky, they were simply carved out of wood with no background at all, making the bench perfect for a company of four to enjoy a seat half-way through their walk up the park. I found the bench quite amusing, and so I knew this was where I wanted to do my project. Not only was the bench original, but I also was tired from my short uphill hike in the snow, and so the seat looked very inviting!
Before I sat down I noticed an unpleasant layer of grime that covered the seat. There were small pools of stagnant water that I had to wipe away with a small towel I brought along. Then, once it looked clean enough to sit upon I plopped myself down and looked around at my surroundings. Dirty snow lay on the ground, parts warn down to slimy muck from brave runners in the cold. A tree behind me with outstretched limbs protected the bench from the brutal elements. Sadly its arms hadn’t reached out far enough to save a little tree across from me, which was clearly suffering from the cold weather. A rich evergreen seemed unperturbed, however, though snow froze above its roots. Most of the trees in Grand Boulevard were strong enough to withstand the brutal winter’s cold, as if they had a will of their own to survive.
As I sat, taking in all the nature around me my mind began to wander. Some of my thoughts were simple, such as wondering what I would have for dinner, thinking about how training went that day, and planning activates for the weekend. However, some of my thoughts were much more complex. I thought about moving to Victoria after I graduate, and how huge a step it was going to be. “Will I get along with the students in my dorm, like the food, have fun?” I wondered. I wished for a car, and hoped that my parents would cave, and finally opt to buying me one for university. Then I thought about home, how much I love my parents, and how inseparable my mother and I are. I pictured being so away from them, and sadness coursed through me like electricity. I considered expenses, ways to save money, and wondered if any of the scholarship applications I sent would come through. Most of all I worried, mostly about the simple things like if all my clothes would fit inside of my new closet, and if my new bed would be comfortable. Though another thing worried me as well, but I pushed it off just like I always do when the thought races through my mind, “Will I be happy away from my family, friends, and routine life in Vancouver”. The idea to adjusting to something completely new was both frightening and exciting. “I guess I will just have to try and find out,” I thought, with a smile.
I shuffled in my seat, as the frigid air began to seep through my clothes. The sky was deep blue, and everything seemed to have a bluish-glow because of the time of night. It was a strange and peaceful glow, and the longer I sat the darker the glow became, until soon it was closer to black. My breath became visible, like puffs of smoke from a dragon, and my cheeks I can only assume were rosy, so I decided it was time to go. I took one last glance at the sweet little bench, the walked back home.