Take the Leap
by Tiffany 'Tiff' Johnston

The sun beamed on my face as I sat people-watching. A drop of sweat rolled across my forehead finally feeling the courage to leap from my face onto my camera lens. 

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"Well there goes that" 

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I moved to a different stair with shade. Honeysuckles kissed my skin as I wiped my lens. Sometimes, I sit out here to bring me back to my senses...

The town centre is full of bustling merchants, aromatic spices, and playing kids. One boy trips while playing tag. I chuckle to myself, kids always seem to fall over nothing. I reminisce on the times when I was that young. I would go out and run barefoot, climbing everything in sight. While walking home from school, I would rest at the edge of a creek, cooling down my feet from the day's adventure. Before leaving, I would take a honeysuckle for the road. 

Now, I'm much older traveling place to place as an artist. I don't run barefoot nearly enough, but I still find honeysuckle trees as long as I'm lucky enough and today I happened to find one overlooking the stairs of the city's temple. 

Everything was loud this time of day, but it was the perfect time for pictures. I like photographing other people doing simple things. Talking, sitting, staring off into space. It's crazy to think everyone has their own lives separate from each other, yet we all ended up here for some reason. 

I closed my eyes, focusing on what I could. Haggling to my right, teasing to my left, rustling leaves above me. I exhale. 

Then it catches my attention. There was a peculiar sound under everything...one I haven't heard before. It was hard to make out. It almost sounded like talking, but it became more like singing. 

I listened harder. A group of people? No. It sounded like a woman's voice. 

I opened my eyes and closed them again. Maybe I'm hearing things. 

No no no. 

I hear her again.

Just as I was beginning to get lost, the 3pm bell rang. Time to go back. 

I made my way through the droves of people in awe of the beautiful colors shining from every fabric, window pane, and plate of food. I see it everyday but it never ceases to fill me with gratuity. The air smelt of lavender and eucalyptus as I passed my neighbor's herb and slower shop. I walked up two short flights of stairs, a blessing for my asthma, and made it to my apartment door. I had been renting a small studio above the art gallery I work at in the evenings. I took my shoes off at the door and set my camera on the kitchen table. I got another whiff of lavender, took a deep inhale in the stomach, and exhaled with a smile. 

I like to leave my windows open for fresh air. At night, I'll sit by the back window facing away from the city to see the stars. I used to map them as a kid, asking to go to the conservatory on my birthdays. I always wondered what they were....

I grabbed the pitcher of lemon-ginger green tea I made that morning. The cool breeze caresses my skin. The locals rely on the wind and bright clothing to keep cool. They frown upon air conditioning, calling it "a waste of resources". Makes sense to me. The temperature doesn't dip below 30°C degrees and where I come from, people tend to be wasteful of resources. 

I went into the freezer to get more ice. 

 

"Fuck, I'm out"

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looks like I'll get some in town tonight. 

I wet a white scarf and wrapped it around my head, leaving my little black curls to peak out. 

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"Riiinaaaaa!!!"