Monday, December 26, 2016

DAY 2, ESSAY #2

Describe a small group of people relaxing, and then the moment that destroys the atmosphere of calm. [25]

The sun took hold of the canvas that was the sky and painted away the starry, dark sky in soothing, soft strokes of mellow orange, pastel pink, and delicate baby blue, as they unwound, still as the rocks we sat on. The luscious evergreen trees around the vast lakes were like leaves surrounding the puddles of water after a heavy rainfall, from up here. Amy leaned forward, propping her face on her arms, chewing a chocolate-chip granola bar with some soft, warm banana bread as the cool breeze ruffled her windbreaker. Normally, she was as loquacious and distracted as a schoolgirl, but an unnatural calm had settled unto her, as though she had matured in a quick moment. She offered a thick slice to Max with a little nod, her ponytail bobbing up and down, like a buoy being moved by the rolling waves of the ocean.

Absentmindedly, Max munched on the cake, closing his eyes and leaning onto the smooth boulder behind him. His ribcage moved in and out with a steady rhythm, slow and relaxed, a far cry from his rapid, deep panting as we climbed, gasping for breath like an asthmatic dog. Patches of sweat, his skin clinging to his damp shirt, were retreating enemy armies, the cool mountain air fighting against them, bringing relief. Droplets rolled down the side of his face like a trickling waterfall. A small smile rested on his face, content. Sipping a bottle of water, Carly focused on her mini-book, the pages flapping noisily, yet soothingly, while she relished each word that reflected against her square black-framed glasses. Each word rolled off her tongue with ease, “Suddenly, they stumbled upon -”

Screeches burst out. A pack of hikers dashed behind us, their eyes wide, pupils dilated. A few incomprehensible words were thrown our way, before they flailed their arms like a chicken flapping its wings, scuttling away from a voracious fox. I shrugged, and took a whiff of my cool, fresh air..? Overwhelmed by a strong scent, I sniffed in more, like a canine looking for the culprit - was it the repulsive stench of the pools of sweat coming from the hikers? Or the rusted trash can nearby, filled to the brim with rotting garbage? I looked up. 

A  landslide. A wave of dirt, thick mud, moving mercilessly toward us, engulfed the sturdy pine trees, snapping them in half as though they were toothpicks. It seemed to ooze out of nowhere, filling every nook and cranny, slowly yet steadily. It rumbled the earth in anger, shaking the pebbles near our feet, making them hop up and down in distress. We hurled our bags over our shoulders and flew down the mountain, like leopards reduced to kittens, scampering away from a relentless storm.

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