❝ I drowned in every aspect of you ❞
Ivy sees the world through coloured panes of glass, the carvings and grace of the thing we call life.
Reece sees the world through a small frame, a daily cycle with no eye for charm.
When summer camp goes wrong...
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Petrichor; noun; The pleasant, earthy smell after rain.
IVY -
I sat in the dimly lit cabin, my bare legs shivering on the cold boards. Our tiny cabin's walls seemed to cave in, making it cozy but cramped.
My family and I took a trip to Washington when I was about eight years old; we stayed in a lovely cabin on the coast, where the birds chirped in the morning and rain fell at night. My room had two beds, two of which were occupied by two small children.
The cabin was warm and welcoming, with a large fireplace in front of comfortable couches. Out our window, we had a view of big pine trees that framed the coast. The storms could be heard through the thin glass, the noises of animals even more distinct. I remember the morning sun and the wind on my face, but some parts are hazy.
My mother told me stories of the memories I had lost, about roasting marshmallows and watching the bats fly from behind the large windows.
That was what this moment felt like, besides the absence of a distant face.
A face I have locked in the smallest corner of my brain, a face I no longer wish to see.
A sudden noise snapped me out of my semi-unconscious state, the sound of laughter in front of me as my cabin mates played monopoly.
It was cabin time, dinner had been served and tummies were full of dessert.
We were all seated around the colourful board, with rainbow paper slips neatly arranged in stacks of ones, fives, and so on. I stood there watching Lee pass go once more, her determination evident as she earned her two hundred dollars.
I hugged my knees tightly, interlocking my fingers to keep them close. I watched the sky grow darker and darker as I gazed out the window before the gray-toned clouds faded into the darkness.
"Hey" I heard a soft voice next to me say.
My eyes widened as I looked to my left.
"You good?" Carol said in a sweet tone, her eyes squinted as she smiled at me.
I could tell her, maybe she'd understand that I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sleep because I was energized. Or maybe I couldn't sleep because I was petrified about what happened when I let my eyes fall closed.
"Yup! just uh tired, busy day that's all," I said clearly lying.
I wasn't tired; I was energized, irritable, and eager to do something. To be completely honest, I could never sleep, I thought being out here in the middle of nowhere would help. No sounds from the outside of frantic cars and ambulances. But it didn't help, not one bit, and so I found myself up and awake every night.
I wasn't okay, I was confused, hurt, lost?
I just needed out. To get out. I felt trapped, trapped in a place of people who knew nothing about me. People who wouldn't bother to give me time of day.
