CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sun let out its last few weak rays of sunlight as Amber sat in the middle of the forest. The light was barely streaming through the branches of the trees, scattering small fragments of light in the dim forest. Amber fixed her canvas and let out a smile. The scene in front of her was perfect for painting. She could picture the painting in her mind. There would be many dark colours to show the shade under the trees and then the gleam of light of the occasional leaf.

Amber stood in the heart of the whole forest. She had been visiting the place all summer and had been preparing to paint it. She had spent the month of her summer holiday drawing the place. Now, she only had two weeks to paint it before school started again.

Amber opened the paint set which her mother had passed on to her before her death. She balanced the paint set on her arm and pulled out the paintbrush. It was still stiff as Amber was yet to use it. She opened up her jar of water and rested it on the holder on her canvas. She was ready. All she had to do now was start painting.

She hesitated for a moment, not knowing where to begin. Perhaps starting at the top would be best? No, it was better to start in the middle and work her way out, well, that's what she thought anyway. She decided to start with the shaded area under the largest tree. She dipped her paintbrush into the water to soften the bristles and then dabbed the black paint. As soon as the paintbrush touched the canvas, Amber let her instincts take over. Suddenly the noise of the feeble breeze rustling through the trees had disappeared. The smell of the dry earth had gone. She was alone and it was only her and the trees. Once she had started, she could not stop. She let her creativity pour out of her. She arms worked away at the canvas.

A twig snapped. Someone was around her. Amber froze. Who would be here in the middle of the forest? She silently placed the paintbrush into the jar and turned. It was a man. He was in his mid-twenties. He wore a dark jumper and a pair of faded black jeans. He had messy dark hair and pale skin. He was rather skinny and tall. He had perfect posture. Around his neck hung a camera from a long strap, it looked like a one that only professionals use. A photographer.

His eyes fell on Amber and she could feel his steady gaze. He tilted his head and smiled.       

"Great place, isn't it?"

He had a deep voice but it was friendly and playful.

Amber nodded, not really knowing a response.

"You don't mind if I take a few pictures, do you? I'll try not to disturb you." He smiled at her.

Amber felt herself smiling back. "No, of course not just warn me if you're going to use flash."

He nodded and grabbed the camera.

Amber turned away to look back at her canvas. She picked up the paintbrush again and began to paint. It wasn't the same now that she knew that some-one else was here with her. She could hear the faint clicking of the camera. The sound of the wind had returned. The trees seemed to be more alive than ever. Amber started to work fast before the trees died down.

"They look amazing, don't they? I've never seen them like this before." The man told her.

"You've been here before?" Amber asked, wondering how they had never seen each other before.

He nodded. "Yeah, it's such a great place. I couldn't stop coming back for more."

He snapped a couple more pictures and stared into his camera. Amber guessed that he was mentally reviewing them.

"So, you're an artist, huh? Hobby or a job?" He asked curiously.

"Hobby." She answered, carefully painting the dark shadows at the stump of the trees. "What about you? Photography a hobby or job?"