Red hair hung in a high ponytail, tied with a simple elastic band. She was tall, about six feet, and had long legs that strode in rhythmic strides across the uneven earth. Dirty, worn sneakers tumbled over the roots of trees and only lost their balance once, leaving a bruise on the girl's hip. She was wearing a cotton white tee shirt with denim cut-offs and on her head was a navy Yankee cap to shield her sensitive Irish skin from the sun.
Trees engulfed her on all sides while the scent of spring filled the air in the forest. Every so often, she would stop for a bit to admire a bright flower or a furry critter searching for food. It was the kind of day April lived for. The drops of sunshine made the forest a treasure chest of diamonds and the puffy white clouds that loomed in the sky gave no indication that they would spoil the day by raining. As April crunched the leaves beneath her feet, she felt a sense of belonging here. Amidst the beauty of nature, April was connected to everyone and everything in the world. A hike in these woods was always a sort of humbling experience for her and put things in perspective.
April walked on, humming to the robin's song. It was farther than she had ever been in the woods before, but she felt a need to keep walking. She had lost track of how far she had gone and the time it would take to return home when she stumbled upon a lush, green meadow.
This will be a great place to eat the lunch I packed, thought April.
So, she stopped and began to munch on her ham and cheese on rye. She kicked off her annoying sneakers and let her feet get tickled by the grass in the wind. April sighed happily while her pink-polished toes enjoyed the cool air. Just as she finished her sandwich and was about to pack up her bag, she heard young voices in the distance. Curious on their origin, she explored.
No one I know ever visits these woods. Who could they be? April wondered.
As the fifteen-year-old drew nearer to the voices, she could make out their words.
"So the lion fell in love with the lamb," said a deep, masculine voice lovingly.
"What a stupid lamb," a female voice replied.
"What a sick, masochistic lion," the male voice stated.
April was intrigued by how much in love even their voices sounded that she walked on to see who the couple was, without much regard for their privacy. She had always been a sucker for romance so she walked quietly through the lush meadow, hoping for a glimpse of the two.
After following the sound of their conversation, April finally caught a glimpse of a beautiful girl that seemed to resemble a porcelain doll. Her long black hair flowed from her head like a dark waterfall and her pale skin was the perfect compliment to her gorgeous hair.
April continued eastward, wanting to see who this girl's lover was when she finally got her wish. She was so shocked by what she saw, she fainted and fell delicately to the ground.