Roses and Lollipops

3.3.21 . Adventurer7

Lorna jogged along the fern-filled forest trail her sketchers crunching on the soft gravel path. She paused breathless to drink from her cold canteen. Tiny droplets of condensation tickled her fingers as they clung to the metal container. Lorna leaned against a tall shade tree, and sighed in the cool light wind that crawled through the thick green canopy above. Then she heard it

Nothing.

Not a bird or a creature, not another human’s voice. Nothing. She perked up and followed her brown eyes down the twisted trail. Her spine kicked her gut screaming to go no further.

Why?

“What is wrong with me?” She had jogged this path a million times. The trail led through a lush clump of towering rose bushes braided with wild mustang grapes. When the vines budded, the smell of grape lollipops rent the air calling to her most childlike senses to devour a plump purple candy. She fingered her grape lollipop in her pocket. She had been ready this time. What was so ill about this part of the park today?

No!

She looked back where she’d come from. She could barely make out her vehicle parked in the garden’s parking lot. There were other cars there. Over on a nearby playground children played and adults talked. Why she couldn’t hear them shocked her. She usually could. She gazed back down toward the rose bushes. This time the trail seemed to call her towards this hidden part of the garden. She brushed off the now quieter voice of caution by telling herself to not be silly. She had successfully muted her intuition. Jogging into the greenery that enclosed around the path, she smelled the delicious candy scented buds, and fingered the pungent red roses that swarmed with melancholy aroma.

She heard it.

Go back cried a voice deep inside her. She nearly fell from stopping so abruptly. No wind brushed her sweaty face, the smell of candy and roses were gone. The crunch of gravel below her feet had disappeared. She turned to leave. But her eyes began to blur. Stumbling, she fell to the ground, and crawled from the twisted trail’s embrace. She could see the playground again, she could hear the people now. Birds sang above her in the tree tops as they rode the branches that filled with wind like a ship’s sails.

She looked behind her at the twisted hidden trail. A soft alluring voice called her back. Sweat poured from her face. She jumped up, and ran for her car. As she jumped inside, she saw a woman jogging aimlessly down the path toward the mysterious anomaly. She saw the woman stop, look around then slowly walk closer to the hidden trail. The woman pulled a purple lollipop from her pocket, and fingering it, she seemed to be trying to decide something. But she shrugged her shoulders and continued jogging.

“No!” Lorna yelled. She left her car the engine still running, and raced after the woman who had disappeared into the scented trail of roses and lollipops.

Oceans beloved; calming, serene,

Oceans feared; crashing, mean.

Oceans sought; hiding, mysterious,

Oceans avoided; teasing, superstitious.

Serene and alluring, gentle ocean you are,

Mean and forceful, ripping hearts apart.

Sought and studied, your treasure to find,

Avoided and left, sad memories to hide.

What ere to mankind your proud waves be,

Memories and feelings of joy or grief,

Your waves affect us all somehow,

Rain, rivers, to the sea, your life circles ’round.

Adventurer7

3.3.21

Dearest Squished French Fry,

If you see the dried spots on this page know it is not grease. It is my tears.

I have loved you since we met. I was but a child when we became friends. I walked in, saw you lying on the bustling freshly mopped floor. Someone had thrown you away or you had fallen from their hand... to this day, I know not. But when I saw you there, your golden love drew me in.

Ever since that fateful day I was faithful to you! I was never late to our three-a-day dates. I watched you swim in the bright pungent ketchup; occasionally you dove into my milkshake. We had so much fun together. I thought you completed me.

But things changed. I struggled to fit through the door of the nostalgic spot we met. You no longer satiated my graving, I needed more! I jumped ship, and pursued your friend- the abundant cheeseburger with her hearty kindness and fluffy buns. But nothing helped. Nothing could fill the void left by your presence. You will always be the love of my life, but I must let you go. I have joined a gym, I’ve joined a support group. I can’t believe I’m saying this but... I met someone there. Her name is Salad. She is struggling from rejection issues and bitterness, but she’s helped me through a lot so far. She’s advised I put a restraining order on you. You cared nothing for me but to make my time, money and health waste away. Thus, my love, I write my farewell.

Your heartbroken lover,

A loyal McDonald’s customer

By Adventurer7

3-1-21

The sky shared Lillia’s tears. It shuddered soft thunder of a late autumn storm, and kicked up the staunch musty leaves of days gone by. Lost in memories and the current new events of earlier that day, Lillia paid no heed to the cold sidewalk under her high pointy shoes. She was lost in another world; as one stares into a mirror, and sees only what is behind them.

Moving here for a new start was a mistake. Maybe she was alive but her heart was broken. Even her new name seemed stolen, a page torn from a book and patched on the story of her life to shroud her true identity. Couldn’t she just run back to her home, her loved ones? She longed for their hugs and laughter. Lillia glanced nervously at a taxi parked along the curb. Her heartbeat sped up. No! The deed had been done, the papers made legal. She now lived another life to keep her and her loved ones alive. She passed the taxi stedfastly. This is it. She wiped the lingering tears from her eyes and walked off into her new world.

Leaves in a Looking Glass

Chapter 1

The sky shared Lillia's tears. It shuddered soft thunder of a late autumn storm, and kicked up the staunch musty leaves of days gone by. Lost in memories and the current new events of earlier that day, Lillia paid no heed to the cold sidewalk under her high pointy shoes. She was lost in another world; as one stares into a mirror, and sees only what is behind them.

Moving here for a new start was a mistake. Maybe she was alive but her heart was broken. Even her new name seemed stolen, a page torn from a book and patched on the story of her life to shroud her true identity. Couldn't she just run back to her home, her loved ones? She longed for their hugs and laughter. Lillia glanced nervously at a taxi parked along the curb. Her heartbeat sped up. No! The deed had been done, the papers made legal. She now lived another life to keep her and her loved ones alive. She passed the taxi stedfastly. This is it. She wiped the lingering tears from her eyes and walked off into her new world.