One Apple A Day #66
Here it is. That feeling. It’s the same feeling every time.
A blend of awe and pain. And there’s no way to separate one from the other.
It starts with the tickle on the back of the neck, as soon as I stop the car. Then, when I move closer, the heart starts pounding faster and faster. The breath gets shorter even if I’m not making any real effort. It’s only 5 minutes walking on a flat surface.
The place didn’t change much in the last 25 years. Yes, the trees grew, some died and had been replaced by new ones. I can’t say it’s an attractive place, in fact, it’s quite unwelcoming with the thick vegetation and the rocky surface.
This ugliness is the reason why we choose it that day. We were just two kids looking for peace and privacy. In my head this place was perfect. I grew up close by, and I spent countless days building imaginary worlds in this woods. I knew every corner, every tree. I was the king and this was my kingdom.
That day we fixed the bikes on a tree a few meters inside the wood, and then we walked. We talked. To be honest, she talked. I was too shy to say anything longer than three words. And I loved to listen to her voice. Remembering her voice is still painful despite all the years. But it’s also a warm feeling. I love that voice.