I rarely take a walk like this to empty my head, especially in these conditions. My hands rest snugly in my pockets, protected from the light wind of the chilly night air. A muffler wraps around my neck, and it sways lightly from my bobbing motions.

I quickly glance around. The area is sparsely lit, and the darkness pervades every corner of my surroundings. All I can see is the gravel path beneath my feet illuminated by a small, resilient torch. The only confirmations that I am moving are the gravelly crunch under my boots and the light, periodic motion of my muffler. The surroundings make no noise, opting instead to watch my every move. It seems as though the world is at a standstill.

I still haven't fully acclimated to my surroundings. Despite my warm jacket, I still shiver a little, but I shrug it off. I've always taken a liking to this slightly cold sensation on nights like these.

I take a deep breath. My breath flows out in a billowing cloud in front of me. Even though breathing is something that strikes me as natural, having it illuminated to me never fails to amaze me. I wave it off, and it disappears as quickly as it appeared.

I walk a few more paces, and eyes happen upon an old park bench. I ease myself onto it, which creaks under my weight. My back breathes a sigh of relief, and I refocus my torch onto my surroundings.

Everything seemed very serene, with not a soul in sight. The wind shifts direction, but it neither strengthens nor weakens. I hear the rustle of leaves from a tree and the ruminations of civilization in the distance. In reality, this park is not far from the throes of all that I want to escape. It is mere minutes from my residence, and I verify that with my phone. Satisfied, I return it to its resting place and clasp my hands in my lap.

Among the ambient sounds, I calm my mind. I force my eyes shut, and when I reopen them, a clearer image unfolds before me.

In front of the bench lies the gravel path I walked. Despite its straightness, I found that I was at a crossroads. Each side ran past my line of sight, leading off to the darkness that drew ever closer. There were no impedances to judgment but instead a curious uncertainty. I could not confide anyone in my choice, so it was my choice and mine alone. What was right and not was both black and white and mixed in a grey slurry that only served to creep into the recesses into my mind. The consequences were as muddy as ever, yet I felt calm in my dilemma. At the same time, they were significant and not lighthearted at all.

As much as I had pondered, one choice cemented itself into my mind: I had to go home.

Even though I wished my time was more bountiful, what I had in front of me was a time of action, not pondering. I stood up and walked in the same direction I had come. My breath trailed behind me, but I paid it no mind since now it had a purpose.

---

I wanted to write something that people see for once, haha. So here's this thing to which I had no business putting time. It's not as elegant as some of my other pieces, I feel, but really, nothing of my creation can be that elegant.

Inspired by kmac2021's many djenty singles.

Sidenote: if you want to see works that I don't feel confident to feature, you can visit my profile. More specifically, the "BLOGS" section. Everything is listed there, as it should be for everyone. Alternatively, you can use /blog/?featured=false. It's refreshing seeing unfeatured blogs, too.

Cheers, and I hope you all have confidence in all the choices you made, you make, and you will make.