A Memory from Autumn by Avery McIlquham

Crunch… Crunch… Crunch was the only sound I heard as I tramped through the woods. It was a quiet day, but that was okay, it left me time to think. Fall was the best time to go on a hike and this specific hike reminded me of one of my favorite hikes with my best friend. We didn’t get to go often so it was a wonderful change of scenery. The falling leaves swirling around the light breeze making the trees sway. I could look at it forever simply because it made me remember.

It was quiet that day as well but this time the silence was interrupted by your laugh while you flung leaves at me. I picked up a handful while you took off running. I chased after you. I miss those days sometimes. 

After I chased you down and dumped leaves on your head; we got the brilliant idea to run through the stream nearby. I remember my cold, soaked shoes. I hate that feeling but we were having fun. We reminisced about the days of middle school, how we used to write adventures in our heads about fighting monsters, saving the world, or running through the most magical .

 You write with a level of creativity I miss. An ability I have long since lost. I always wondered where that creativity of mine went. Gone are the days I sat down and wrote adventures and here are the days where I struggle to even write one sentence. You still spin and write the most beautiful stories and while to this day I struggle to write a memory. If I didn’t have your stories I think I would go mad. I live through you now. Through the tales we used to write.

It’s funny, maybe I still spin stories but not the stories we used to write. No, now the story I spin is us here in this park roaming about. If nearly 200 miles didn’t separate us, I would pick you up and bring you here. But sadly, I’ll continue this hike amongst the spinning leaves and the swaying trees alone and text you all about it; it will never be the same.