Katerina

Glistening orbs of dawn drip softly onto the tall grass as the sun warms the meadow, bringing it to life. I lie on the grass not minding as the back of my dress becomes damp with dew and watch with fascination as the world wakes up. Wildflowers litter the far side of the grass creating a kaleidoscope of colours; pale violets, gentle pinks and pastel peaches. Closest to me lives an old cherry blossom. Its arms are wide open this morning, as if it is inviting the sun to warm its frosted branches from the harsh rain of the previous night. A feathery head appears out of a deep groove carved by centuries of erosion in the trunk of the tree before it quickly disappears. Satisfied that there is no immediate danger it scuttles onto one of the higher branches and cocks its head curiously at me. My mouth involuntarily curves into a smile and I lay my head back looking at the leafy branches above me. Every now and then amidst the hungry chirps of birds and busy buzzing of bees a leaf will daintily waft on the air before gracefully twirling to land weightlessly on the mounting pile of its brothers and sisters. Taking a deep breath I’m filled with awe at the simple beauty present around me. My chest feels light yet full as I watch the strengthening rays of sunshine lazily stroking the swaying grass. Even though the meadow is in fact filled with sounds of life, it is the most serene place I’ve ever been to. Every branch delicately bends and bows in the crisp morning breeze. My eye lids heavily fall to cover my eyes and soon I feel myself slipping into the tranquility of nature.

It is not till sometime later that I wake to the bitter air of the evening breeze. The sky has darkened considerably, casting a mysterious atmosphere over the entire meadow. I slowly raise my head, feeling the familiar rush of blood pounding through my ears. The breeze caresses my bare arms erupting goose bumps along the length of my skin. Weakening, the sun is slowly retreating below the horizon, leaving only a feeble ray of sunshine illuminating a patch of bushes to my right. The dark green foliage rustles, revealing deep onyx berries. One might mistake them for sweet blueberries until they bite into skin, revealing bright red flesh. My father has warned me numerous times of the poisonous weeds in this part of town. I rise to my feet, unsettled by the grass, moving as if trapped in a trance by the wind. Something sharp brushes my arm as I jump back. Looking towards the towering branches looming above me I notice a lone spider creeping and crawling into its intricate web. A feeble fly struggles to escape its prison. Its wings beat faster and faster until stopping suddenly as the spider pounces, injecting its venom straight into the insect’s heart. The persistent beating in my chest gets quicker as I hurry to find the way I came from. A clawed hand shoots out and snags a piece of my hair between its gnarled fingers. Freeing myself from its sinister hold I stumble past the wildflowers and toward the cherry blossom that has folded inwards as if to shield itself from the horrible secrets lurking in the twilight. Taking one last look before I head home, I can’t help but appreciate the beauty of the darkened meadow. Even as the final rays of sun disappear, leaving me frozen in my damp dress, I marvel at the beauty in awe and start to plan in my head my next trip to my majestic meadow.

//From Mrs Low: A very atmospheric description Katerina, made effective through the use of personification and the change in tone between the two paragraphs. You have captured well an ambivalent connection to a place. Your choice of detail makes the scene interesting and paints a clear picture in the mind of the reader. Well done. //