Spring
The first morning of spring carried with it a relentless tranquillity. Whisking away the crisp winter air and carrying a warm breeze which seemed to spawn chirping birds and vibrant plants in its wake. The wind seemed to deaden as it reached her windowsill though, leaving her to drown in the grating torrent of thoughts that followed her wherever she went. She poured herself a cup of coffee, knowing that she would need it. Her job as a nurse was rewarding, but the recent influx of patients made her feel like she was resting the weight of the world on her shoulders every time she stepped into the hospital. This stress led to sleep deprivation, which in turn made her even more stressed.
Her skin seemed almost translucent under the blazing morning light. Her eyes traced the rays back to the window from which they were being scattered into her apartment. She studied the chipped grey paint, reminiscing on the day when she decided on the colour of her room. The grey that she had chosen reminded her of her childhood bedroom. That day was almost five years ago; her mother had driven to her apartment and helped her choose the colour. As she reminisced, she realised that she had not had a proper conversation with her mother in months. This was not on purpose, however. She bore no ill will against her mother; she was simply overwhelmed by her work.
She finished her coffee but did not move from her chair. The softness of the frilly white pillows reminded her of her bed, where once she could sleep and ignore all her worries. It felt like she experienced this struggle every day, until the beeping of her phone alarm snapped her out of her shallow sleep, reminding her to leave. As she stood up her phone dropped from her bag. Falling onto the hard wooden floor of her kitchen. She picked it up and checked for any serious damages, relieved when she saw none, and then stood to grab her coat and leave.
She decided to take the stairs today for the first time. Maybe to prolong her time away from work, maybe to get some exercise before she sat on the bus’s grimy grey seat for almost an hour. She much preferred the grey of her windows. The apartment’s steps were a pale concrete, and the walls were painted a sickly shade of green. She regretted her decision not to buy her own house, even though her apartment was cheaper. Her scrubs chafed against her legs and the clapping of her shoes against the concrete grated against her ears. After tolerating this for a few minutes though, her head felt a little bit clearer. The worries that used to sharply poke at her gut were dulled. She made it to the ground floor of her apartment complex and took a deep breath. She walked outside to the bus stop and saw her usual bus driving down the street, away from her, pouring out fumes in its wake to taunt her.
She missed the bus occasionally, and whenever she did, she would usually sit down at the bus stop. Either worrying about what she would tell her boss when he asked why she was late, or how much work she would have to catch up on. However, today she walked in the other direction, towards a small reserve that was hidden behind a graffitied brick wall. She knew the next bus wouldn’t come for another twenty minutes or so, and decided for the first time in years, that she would do something for herself. Her hair was lifted by a breeze that greeted her as she entered the reserve, and she took a deep breath. The air felt refreshing. She walked further into the reserve and found a small stream. Now forgetting about work she knelt next to the bubbling water and reached out her hand. The sun was beaming down on her as she submerged her hand into the stream. Her skin seemed fuller now, the cool water ran between her fingers and she took a deep breath. Birds chirped above her, water gurgled, and leaves crunched as she sat down. Compared to the grey of her apartment, the vivid leaves that hung around her were absolutely refreshing. The algae that swayed loosely under the streams current was able to stay in place, despite the flow of the water over to it
After a period of time she stood up, taking one last look at her surroundings. Her brief trip to the reserve had calmed her nerves, at least for a short time. She walked towards the bus stop and, while she waited for the bus, she called her mother.
