"Time to Change"
By Kaylyn Koutz
I was walking along the streets of Abbey Road, when I found a trail leading into the woods. I followed the path hoping no one saw me. I stumbled a few times over the rocks, some of them no longer stuck in the ground. I was glad I wore pants and my Converse, no matter how dirty they were. The grass came up past my knees, staining my used to be white jeans as I kept walking farther down the trail. There was an opening in the trail and I made my way over to it.
I pushed the flimsy branches out of my way to reveal a rundown cemetery and a park. ‘That’s odd. Why would someone build a park next to a cemetery?’ Weird combination’, I thought as I walked closer to the park.
The grass was up to my knees; my white jeans were now a mix of black and green. ‘Wonderful’ I thought, ‘Mom’s going to have a cow.’ I walked around the play set, noticing that one of the swings was only secured by a rope that could snap any moment. I ran my fingers along the side of the slide feeling the roughness; I felt the red paint attach to my fingers as I pulled my hands away.
I turned around and started walking towards the cemetery, but I stopped in my tracks when I heard a voice yelling at me.
“Hey! What are you doing here! You’re not supposed to be here!”
I turned around to look for the voice that called me. It was a boy who looked to be the same age as me.
His black hair flowed perfectly in the wind, and his eyes sparkled a light baby blue. He wore a black tank top with black jeans. He held garden tools and paint buckets. I was at a loss for words, he was perfect.
“I was just, I-” he cut me off, clearly seeing I was having trouble with my words.
“You were snooping, is what you were doing. Now leave!” he said, his voice echoed through the trees and sent a shiver down my spine.
“What’s up with your pants?” I muttered, hoping he didn't hear me.
He kept his ground, not moving but glaring at me. He had a hard facial expression, but his eyes were soft.
“I said leave!” he yelled again.
“I’m not going anywhere, you don’t own the place!” I said back with confidence pointing at the run down sign, which said “Public Property.” His face fell in defeat.
“Fine, but don’t bother me. Don’t touch anything, just stand there,” he said.
“Whatever, “Can I at least get your name?” I muttered.
“Calum,” he replied.
“Jane,” I replied back. He smirked before turning around, back to his work.
I watched him as he started to pull up the weeds around the play ground; his back muscle contracting with every movement. He must have noticed me watching him, well more like staring because he turned around and said “Like what you see.”
“I was just, um, watching you. What are you doing?” I questioned
“Well if you must know I used to come here all the time with my parents,” he snapped.
“Used to?”
His facial expression softened and it looked like he was holding back tears. “Yeah used to. This was my favorite place to go and now it’s a dump. So I’m going to fix it up,” he suddenly stated with attitude.
We stared at each other a while, I was at a loss for words his eyes were so captivating. Should I offer to help him? This place obviously has sentimental value, I thought
“I could help you, I mean if you wanted help?” I said fiddling with my fingers. ‘Please say yes, please say yes.’
“Sure, why not,” he smirked. I walked towards him as he handed me gloves.
“Just pull the weeds up. And when you finish just start painting the slide red,” he stated.
I started pulling the weeds out, noticing if it weren't for these gloves I would have little cuts all over my hands. Even through the working gloves my hands were getting pricked. Calum must have seen my struggle because I heard a deep chuckle come from behind me.
“Shut up,” I mumbled.
I turned my head around to see he straightened his back up and walked over to me. He was so close to me I could feel his chest rise and fall when he breathed.
“Excuse me?” he stated with confidence.
My nerves kicked in, the look on his face was hard and he furrowed his brows waiting for me to reply. I flinched when he inched his body closer to mine.
“Nothing, but I think I should start painting the slide and let you handle the weeds,” I mumbled with fear.
I turned around to go pick up a paint brush when he grabbed my wrist and whispered, “Don’t be afraid of me, please.” It was like he was begging; the only thing I could think to do was nod.
He let my wrist go and went back to pulling the weeds out as if the previous moment was just a dream and didn't actually happen.
We spent the rest of the day, the rest of the week and the last month of summer fixing up the play ground and the cemetery. We shared a lot of personal moments. I learned a lot about Calum, and why this place meant so much to him. Both of his parents were in the cemetery. The park was special because every day before the accident they would come here and hangout.
And since the accident the place had been uninhabited. All Calum wanted to do was bring the memories back.
When the end of the summer arrived the park could not have looked better; the once dull and old playground was now full of life. The slide and monkey bars were a bright red color. Roses and lilies grew along every inch of the park; filling the ground with yellow, white, and red colors. The trees had grown leaves, and were now full of life.
The cemetery was clean; all the tombstones had a smooth granite feeling. The chipped edges were glued back in place. And every day we placed new flowers on all the graves. Birds of all species were flying around and chirping.
Calum and I grew to be like siblings. We spent everyday for the rest of high school hanging out at this park and creating our own memories.
This once lonely place desperate for attention was now full of life.
I pushed the flimsy branches out of my way to reveal a rundown cemetery and a park. ‘That’s odd. Why would someone build a park next to a cemetery?’ Weird combination’, I thought as I walked closer to the park.
The grass was up to my knees; my white jeans were now a mix of black and green. ‘Wonderful’ I thought, ‘Mom’s going to have a cow.’ I walked around the play set, noticing that one of the swings was only secured by a rope that could snap any moment. I ran my fingers along the side of the slide feeling the roughness; I felt the red paint attach to my fingers as I pulled my hands away.
I turned around and started walking towards the cemetery, but I stopped in my tracks when I heard a voice yelling at me.
“Hey! What are you doing here! You’re not supposed to be here!”
I turned around to look for the voice that called me. It was a boy who looked to be the same age as me.
His black hair flowed perfectly in the wind, and his eyes sparkled a light baby blue. He wore a black tank top with black jeans. He held garden tools and paint buckets. I was at a loss for words, he was perfect.
“I was just, I-” he cut me off, clearly seeing I was having trouble with my words.
“You were snooping, is what you were doing. Now leave!” he said, his voice echoed through the trees and sent a shiver down my spine.
“What’s up with your pants?” I muttered, hoping he didn't hear me.
He kept his ground, not moving but glaring at me. He had a hard facial expression, but his eyes were soft.
“I said leave!” he yelled again.
“I’m not going anywhere, you don’t own the place!” I said back with confidence pointing at the run down sign, which said “Public Property.” His face fell in defeat.
“Fine, but don’t bother me. Don’t touch anything, just stand there,” he said.
“Whatever, “Can I at least get your name?” I muttered.
“Calum,” he replied.
“Jane,” I replied back. He smirked before turning around, back to his work.
I watched him as he started to pull up the weeds around the play ground; his back muscle contracting with every movement. He must have noticed me watching him, well more like staring because he turned around and said “Like what you see.”
“I was just, um, watching you. What are you doing?” I questioned
“Well if you must know I used to come here all the time with my parents,” he snapped.
“Used to?”
His facial expression softened and it looked like he was holding back tears. “Yeah used to. This was my favorite place to go and now it’s a dump. So I’m going to fix it up,” he suddenly stated with attitude.
We stared at each other a while, I was at a loss for words his eyes were so captivating. Should I offer to help him? This place obviously has sentimental value, I thought
“I could help you, I mean if you wanted help?” I said fiddling with my fingers. ‘Please say yes, please say yes.’
“Sure, why not,” he smirked. I walked towards him as he handed me gloves.
“Just pull the weeds up. And when you finish just start painting the slide red,” he stated.
I started pulling the weeds out, noticing if it weren't for these gloves I would have little cuts all over my hands. Even through the working gloves my hands were getting pricked. Calum must have seen my struggle because I heard a deep chuckle come from behind me.
“Shut up,” I mumbled.
I turned my head around to see he straightened his back up and walked over to me. He was so close to me I could feel his chest rise and fall when he breathed.
“Excuse me?” he stated with confidence.
My nerves kicked in, the look on his face was hard and he furrowed his brows waiting for me to reply. I flinched when he inched his body closer to mine.
“Nothing, but I think I should start painting the slide and let you handle the weeds,” I mumbled with fear.
I turned around to go pick up a paint brush when he grabbed my wrist and whispered, “Don’t be afraid of me, please.” It was like he was begging; the only thing I could think to do was nod.
He let my wrist go and went back to pulling the weeds out as if the previous moment was just a dream and didn't actually happen.
We spent the rest of the day, the rest of the week and the last month of summer fixing up the play ground and the cemetery. We shared a lot of personal moments. I learned a lot about Calum, and why this place meant so much to him. Both of his parents were in the cemetery. The park was special because every day before the accident they would come here and hangout.
And since the accident the place had been uninhabited. All Calum wanted to do was bring the memories back.
When the end of the summer arrived the park could not have looked better; the once dull and old playground was now full of life. The slide and monkey bars were a bright red color. Roses and lilies grew along every inch of the park; filling the ground with yellow, white, and red colors. The trees had grown leaves, and were now full of life.
The cemetery was clean; all the tombstones had a smooth granite feeling. The chipped edges were glued back in place. And every day we placed new flowers on all the graves. Birds of all species were flying around and chirping.
Calum and I grew to be like siblings. We spent everyday for the rest of high school hanging out at this park and creating our own memories.
This once lonely place desperate for attention was now full of life.
(c) 2013 Kaylyn Koutz
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