There’s something so magical about the seasons changing isn’t there? I’ve noticed it so much this year. I swear, as soon as September 1st hit, the weather was like “BAM - have some autumn, bitch” and threw down brown leaves, chilly winds and too many autumn spider bastards.
Despite the spiders, I love autumn. I love wearing cosy jumpers, boots and scarves. I love those sugar-laden seasonal drinks you only get when the temperature falls and I friggin’ adore getting cosy under a blanket and reading while rain tap-tap-taps on the window *swoon*.
When I threw the story prompt dice for this month’s short fiction piece, it seemed as if they too had gotten the memo that it’s autumn. As usual there has been zero prep for this, just a glass of red and a snoozy cat by my side. Let’s see what we get.
Dining under the stars
Rolling over in bed to find the patch of sunlight streaming in through the window, Lucy smiled without opening her eyes. She smiled because she remembered she wasn’t in her bed back in England, she was in her bed in the back of her VW camper van in New Zealand.
The soft autumn rays warming her face felt like a friendly hug from the country she had grown to love. Her day stretched out in front of her as she pondered how to spend her time. She would start with a morning swim in the lake followed by a short hike, reclining in summer’s final gasp.
The water was cooler today, signalling the change in season. Her body recoiled as she first stepped in, but quickly adjusted and welcomed the cooler temperature. Instead of draping herself on a sun-drenched rock to dry off, today she retreated to her towel.
A quick change of shoes and one wooly jumper later, she made her way on her favourite hike. Passing fellow hikers she smiled and commented on the weather (you can take the girl out of England…).
At her favourite spot, she paused for some thinking. She thought about her friends and her family. She thought about her old job and what she would be doing now if she hadn’t taken the leap and gone travelling. She thought about her future. How long would she stay? What else did this country have in store for her?
As the sun hung lower in the sky, she packed up and walked back to the van. She drove to meet some new friends for an evening of deep discussion, laughter and a little too much wine. Back in the van she pulled out a simple dinner and her cutlery.
Tonight, she took her meal outside and ate beneath a starlit sky. She’d never seen stars so bright, it was nothing short of magic.
As I wrote this little slice of fiction, I definitely had two visuals in mind, this beautifully lit photo from Sarah Tasker and this stunning view from Freya Dowson, both such dreamy Instagram accounts.
What (or who) is inspiring you so far this autumn?
– Newsletter – Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – Pinterest –
Save for later:
1 comment