The Memory

The sun was high and not a single cloud was visible in the sky, the suns rays kissing my face warming me. The wind blew softly past, catching my hair, blowing it around my face quietly. The smell of lush growing plants and fresh air filled my senses calming me. With my rubber boots squeaking I skipped towards my family's favourite spot, a grand field stretching wide and far, ending in the distance by a wall of trees. The grass was freshly mowed, sighing as a gust of wind blew its strands aside. The sounds of laughter and arguing children filled my ears; clutching my small wicker basket in my hands I continued to skip to where my mother's shining smile awaited for me. My father was to busy talking to my arguing sisters for him to take notice of my arrival. Sitting down next to my mother on the cool soft grass I began to pick, the beautiful field was covered with bright berries stretching the landscapes edges. Taking a hold of the plump berries I pulled, one by one off their short stems, gently dropping each smooth ripe one into my basket, near my feet. My fingers were turning a dark shade of blue and purple as the ripped grains oozed juice on to my skin. My sister's, on the other hand had perfectly clean hands, but when they smiled or grinned you could see their purple teeth, making them look almost demon like.
A berry was tossed, the short flights through the air ending as a game of berry dodge ball. When the last berry was flung before we would completely run out, we noticed the sun was already beginning to set, casting a magnificent golden glow over the landscape. My family all rose from their positions in the grass and started to walk silently to the opening between the trees that would lead us home. Getting to my feet, I wiped off the grass from my now grass stained pants, and started to follow. Catching up with one of my sisters, she was wobbling with her big basket and tripped over her own feet and went down with a thud. The berries that once filled her basket were now showering onto the ground, looking like a sparkling blue spray of rain. My sister gave out an ear shattering shriek as my older sister ran over and started to pick up the berries for herself. As my mother picked up the whining child and the fallen basket, they continued down the path to where a cozy home lay, awaiting for the mess that will appear in no time, as are family will try and make my grandmother's famous blueberry jam. Leaving the field and my boots hitting gravel, the sun shining on my back, happiness bloomed inside me, and continued to spread like wildflowers.
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The reality of the field now is much different than that memory.
Pulling my wool coat closer to my body, a gust of wind stole my remaining heat, the chill so deep it was in my bones. The breeze on my skin felt like many long pointy finger nails scraping against me. My eyes watered, the tears quickly disappearing as my hair whipped across my face and around my head, taking the droplets away with them. I could no longer feel my frozen fingers, making them almost impossible to wiggle and bend. My breath clouded around me like when a man smokes a pipe. My jacket felt as thin as a bug screen as another gust of wind blew, but I continued, into the field that once shone. Now, now it hazardously was littered with thorns and quickly growing saplings. All the leaves have fallen, the trees now bare and skeletal. Dead leaves crunched between my booted feet and the solid frozen ground, the smell of pine hitting me, carried by the wind. The sky a dark shade of grey, looking to hold no promises, the colourful field was now gone, matching the sad colour of the sky. Looking truly as if it was in despair, the grass was dead, the blueberry bushes once full and flourishing were no where in sight, only to be replaced by twisted bushes that looked like broken fingers spiralling in different directions. The landscape hasn't been mowed or even visited in years, except for the one visit from me, today. Walking the field out of curiosity, wondering what became of my family's favourite hide out, after so many years it had been forgotten.
Not wanting to see what happiness I lost, I dragged my lead heavy feet back to the dull forest, making my way back to the dull house with the dull people.
That day I made a promise to myself to never, ever, forget the memories me and my family had as a whole that beautiful day. I intended to keep my promise, and it shall stay with me, forever.

~ The End