13

Ashley and I arrive outside the public paradise park. Green bushes, thick and leafy, surrounded the area, a green kingdom from outside. The tiled road that went into the park is cobbled, with vines twisted and mingled around it. Ashley and I begin to walk on the pavement, making our way into the garden to find Colvo, the depressed administrator.

As we enter, I feel a wave of warmth washing over me as I behold the heavenly park. A riot of lovely and gorgeous colors embellishes every fragment of the space. The perfect weather provides the ideal backdrop to this beautiful place. Washed in the warm, yellow glow, everything sparkles and glitters.

A feeling of wondrous ecstasy and calm filled my heart. It was like nothing horrible had happened in the last few days. My constant anxiety washed away, as did the negative feelings in my mind. I laughed, chuckled and smiled, as did Ashley. There was something in the garden's air that brought us happiness.

The ground is matted with freshly cut grass, every blade of it forming a pattern in a greenish portrait. Beds of brightly colored flowers dot the mossy floor. There are lilies, tulips, roses, and violets decorating the garden. Their lovely and soft petals flutter in the crisp breeze, beads of dew sliding off the tips, splashing onto the beds' soils. I go over to one of these flower beds, with Ashley right on my heels. Bending down, I take a sniff. The fragrance casts a spell upon my sense of smell. The air is filled with all these scents, drifting and diffusing with the wind's blow.

For once, usually mischievous Ashley also bends down and sniffs the flowers. An unusual smile, free of any negativity, spreads on her face, clearly indicating that she is pleased.

We felt like carefree children playing in the garden, with nothing to worry us, free of all burdens of the world.

In a tree nearby, birds twitter their melodious songs while being perched on the branches. I look up at them, some fluttering their wings, others zooming about the canopy. There are jays with a majestic plumage, all the shades of blue embroidered on it. The feathers look fluffy and puffy, capturing the air's warmth in them. A hummingbird flutters around, hovering in the air, its enchanting song soothing my heart.

The birds have feathers with all kinds of colors as if they were citizens of a rainbow city. An orchestra is tuned with their twittering and chirping, making a balm slowly spread through my heart.

Filtering through the leaves of the tree, the sunlight is spread on the grass. The shadows quiver and shift like a kaleidoscope, a dancing tapestry, swooning with joy at all the loveliness. I, too, felt the happiness filled in the air.

Ashley taps me on the shoulder, open-mouthed. She stares and points into the distance. I follow her finger and find something truly remarkable. A portion of the garden is steeped in the nighttime!

We approach the big cluster of trees, there is an opening through the boundary, an unpaved road that twists and bends inside. Ashley and I step into these small woods surrounded by the bright garden. As we enter, we find that the place is relatively cold and quieter. We start following the path, with twigs snapping under our feet. Moonlight filters through the canopies, giving a tranquil ambiance to the woods.

A little way further, another dazzling sight welcomes us as a distraction from our quest to find Colvo. Through brambles and trunks, a pond containing luminescent fish species greets my eyes to the far right of the unpaved road. Ashley and I make our way for a brief visit. Standing on the edge of the pond, I see a flickering blue light that illuminates the swimming fishes. The coolness of the blue reminds me of the sky with its brilliant shade of blue. Of all the colors I have seen so far, this one is unique in its nature. Drenched and filtered by the water, the blue glow seems like it is embedded in the pond. A hooting of an owl makes me look above. Perched on a tree branch, its large and unblinking eyes gaze at the pond. Then fluttering its wings, the barn owl swooshes down and away.

As I stand in awe at the edge of the pond, I hear footsteps coming from the darkness beyond the opposite edge. Twigs snap as these footsteps approach the area where the glowing pond is located. Ashley and I ominously take a few steps back, cursing our decision to steer away from the road. I prepare to run away. But to my intense relief, a deer materializes out of the thick and pitch-black darkness. My previously pounding heart settles back into its place. Relaxed and at peace again, I observe the lovely creature that has joined us in beholding this glowing pond. Its antlers are perfectly symmetrical, and its hide is a furry shade of brown. Approaching the pond, it appears oblivious to our presence at first. Then, it looks up from the water surface and comes face-to-face with us. Our eyes lock. I beam back at the innocent and harmless dear, hoping that it will see my smile in the blue glow. Evidently, it does and decides that I am not a danger. Lowering its head and bending its front legs forward, the majestic animal dips its mouth into the water and begins to drink from the pond. All the glowing fishes in that area scatter away, beating their fins and tails. After consuming its full, the deer turns and hops out of the pond area in its elegant gait.

Then, Ashly tells me to move on. She says that we need to find Colvo, the depressed administrator. Reluctantly walking back to the meandering unpaved road, we continue through the moonlit woods. Many other gorgeous sights welcome our eyes. But we keep our head steady as we continue down the path.

After a while, an opening appears at the other end, bright and sparkling. We quicken our pace at this point. Ashley is particularly eager to be out in the open again. Exiting the woods from the brilliant opening, we emerge on the other side. Once again, I am standing in the public paradise park, and there appears to be a commotion nearby. The sounds are out of place in this beautiful park. Ashley grabs my arm tightly. As I turn to look at her, she has her finger over her lips, gesturing for me to remain quiet. Ashley tip-toes forward, creeping up to a nearby tree. Hiding behind the trunk, she peeks around the edge to see what is making all that noise. I crouch and follow her. There is a clearing in the park, surrounded by trees. Ashley begins to quietly climb up the tree. I follow her as well. We make it to the top and stand on the branches in the canopy. The clearing below is beautiful, with the grass-covered ground on which are scattered dried yellow leaves. Flowers bloom in different places. Some animals are hopping and prowling around. There are a few white rabbits, as well as snow-white cats. Birds reside within the other trees, and squirrels climb the trees in a flash. I find all of this very lovely. Something in this space enclosed by the trees brings a shift in this otherwise heavenly park's tone.

Down below, in the middle, there is a green-colored mask floating erratically in the air. It seems to be having an argument with a red-masked administrator.