Over the Hills and Far Away...

The apparent brick path now tapered, and warm, amber soil crept in. The calls of the far away crystal lagoon was almost as tangible as a mother's embrace. The lake was only a few kilometers away. I could feel the damp earth squish beneath my feet. My nose searched for the honeysuckle scent of Rhododendron flowers. I pushed past a pile of twigs and towed myself up slope. Sunlight filtered through the tightly interwoven canopies and kissed my cheeks. Thorns and leaves slapped me as I trudged deeper and deeper inside the forest. Trees loomed above me, standing so close as though they were chattering with each other. I crunched dry leaves on the ground with my each step forward. Beads of sweat dribbled down the nape of my neck. I trekked faster and the surroundings collapsed into a blur. I huffed and grunted as sweat trickled down my brow. There trained the consistent shades of green and sepia. Sometimes, splashes of cerulean loped in and I realized that the sky was parallel to me. I skipped further ahead until peach- like blobs popped into view- Rhododendrons. Their ambrosial aroma filled the air. I stopped to capture few in my camera. I then braced myself onto a tree and stretched out to reach the flower. My fingers caressed the delicate petals, but still couldn't grasp the flower completely. I pressed further and harder. My fingers wound into the blossoms and I yanked them free from their stems. I slid down the bark of the plant and tucked the flowers away. A path twined up the length of the mountain and I followed it. I wandered into a sheaf of grass flanked by crumbling rocks. On either sides sprouted wildflowers. I brushed past the paddock and bounced onto flat ground. I could feel moisture hanging in the atmosphere. The lake was not far from here. I stepped over folding rocks and landed on lower ground. Right before my eyes, a metal fence chained a large pool of water sprawled across the floor. Birds swooped down and pecked the emerald- green lake, spreading ripples throughout it. The water gleamed like glass everywhere sunlight struck it. The lake was indeed magnificent. I pulled the scenery into my camera, crouched down and sat in the grass, and immersed myself into nature's solitude.