Lente: Pictures With Stories

Bayside

The winds blow coldly as I stare deeply into the sea. I've been sitting on this seawall for hours now, but I don't really mind. Up here I feel like I'm really at ease. Free from the stress that plagues me from day to day, and free to let my brain run on autopilot without anybody judging. The sea couldn't. The albatrosses that fly over couldn't. Not even the other people around me, because they think I'm doing the same thing as they're doing, enjoying the view. Though, they wouldn't notice that I've been here for long.

I look down to the water crashing along the rip rap. The motion of the waves and the sound they make is really relaxing. Makes me wish I had a house by the beach. I'd spend my time just staring at the water for days on end. But instead, I'm stuck in the city, drowning in paperwork. Ears tired from the loud voices of bosses. At least the city is near the sea. But even then, you're never truly free here. You're stuck doing the same thing over and over until time ends. It's a rather sad reality, yet we have to do it to survive.

I sighed as I stared back into the sea. The sky is now a glistening orange because the sun is starting to set, yet the clouds are blocking it. The view is still just as relaxing as the sea below it.The winds blowing at me are making me colder than I was before, but then I feel a sudden warmth engulf my right hand. I turn to my right as I hear a voice.

"I knew you would be here..."

It was Lyudmilla. My co-worker and lover. She's like my sea when I wouldn't be able to visit it. She's such a sweetheart. I greet her a hello and gave her a big hug. She does the same.

"Well, aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?" I ask her as we broke from our embrace.

"Like I said, I knew you'd be here, so I knew you were going to contemplate about life again." She replies.

"You know me so well, Milla." I chuckled.

"Of course." She gives a chuckle too. "But, I don't understand why you're doing this a lot. Is there something wrong?"

"There's... Nothing wrong... It's just... Is life really like this? You wake up, you do your thing, get drowned in paperwork, and then, out of nowhere, you're disposed of. Left to rot. And what do you do until then? People have so many expectations for you, and then they just suck you into the system."

Milla looks at me in bewilderment. "Uh... Wow. That's... A thought."

"I'm... so sorry. I guess I'm just tired of... doing the same thing over and over."

It's okay, Valera. I've watched enough BoJack to know what you're talking about."

"Oh?"

"Yeah... Sometimes the world just acts like that."

"...You mean society?"

"Whatever. My point is, it's your choice whether to face it all with negativity, like BoJack does, or run head on with joy, like Mr. Peanutbutter."

"So... what? I gotta settle?"

"Not exactly settle...But you gotta do the things that you love the most, too. You used to love taking a lot of pictures, right?"

"Yeah, but y'know... Work got in the way. Plus my stepdad destroyed by camera because he thought it was a 'waste of time'."

"Oh wow. You stepdad's really..."

"Backwards? Definitely."

Milla scoots closer to me and wraps her arm around my waist. "Don't be sad, Valera. I'll give you my old camera and you could start over."

I glance at her in surprise. "A-are you sure? You loved that one.It's pretty expensive too... I don't know if I could-"

She then silences me with her finger on her free hand. "It's okay. I have a new one anyway. Besides, you take better pictures of Sochi than I could."

I smiled. "Thank you... I... honestly don't know how to repay you."

"No, no need. As long as you're happy."

"Y'know I wish my step-dad could see me from what I'm really worth like my real dad did."

"Well, I'm sure he'd be proud of what you have become."

I put my head on her shoulder and she embraces me tighter. We stayed in silence for a while as the sun starts to shine on the other side of the world. All is well, until Milla speaks up again.

"Hey, Valera?"

"Hmm?"

"My family in Ukraine wanted me to come and visit. I was wondering if you wanted to tag along? There's a beautiful lake near our house, and the village is very picturesque. We could even travel to Pripyat if you want to."

"Pripyat? Isn't that place still radioactive?"

"It is, yeah. But not as much as it was when Chernobyl exploded. It's still not safe to head near the power plant though. But after that American TV series about it aired, people started flocking to the place like ducks during winter."

"Oh, that show? I'm still pissed that the Americans told the story better than we could ever do."

"Well, the Americans and the British, but at least we got to see the story in full. That's the thing about having not having to see the truth; you'll be blinded until it blows up in your face."

"Heh. Blows up like Chernobyl, eh?"

"You're a joker, Valera."

"I don't mind, Milla."

And then, as she gives me a peck on the cheek, night falls. And I wasn't as cold as I was.

-End