Nature's Serenity

Nature’s Serenity: a short story

Larkynn de la Fuerza

Larkynn de la Fuerza

I stumbled upon the path, quite by accident, anger still flaring in my veins as my heavy footsteps went from pounding the pavement to crunching on the loose gravel beneath my feet. I probably should have stopped walking, but rationality was buried deep beneath my rage.

How dare he? The thought was all I could hear, the everyday sounds of my city life long forgotten in their own monotony and regularity.

It was the shift in light that finally drew me from the depths of my own dark thoughts and forced me to take in my surroundings. One look was all it took for the stress of the day to begin leeching away from my body. Golden-green sunlight filtered down from the heavy canopy that towered several feet above my head. To my left and right were tree trunks as big around as four or five of me put together. I felt instantly dwarfed, swaddled in the sudden silence of the forest. All of my problems were instantly minimized as well. There was simply no room for them in my mind next to the enormity of the greenery surrounding me.

The lack of honking cars, chattering people, roaring trucks and motorcycles, and construction roared in my ears louder than any of the city noises had ever been, making me pause. Did I step into another world unknowingly?

I turned quickly, looking back the way I had come, unable to believe that the city was still to my back. How could nature mute so much sound and activity? The concrete path I had been on only moments before ended some paces back, bathed in sunlight. The faint city noises I was so accustomed to, just barely reached my straining ears. If I hadn’t known any better, I would swear that the sound itself, the compilation of all the city noises merged into one voice that seemed to whisper, Go. Escape.

How could such a place exist in a metropolis as large as mine? Was I aware of the forest’s existence prior to my angry approach? Of course. It stood at the back of my place of work, dark, lush, and stagnant; a lost treasure hidden among a more civilized and industrialized world of constant motion. Had I known the forest was this peaceful and all encompassing? Not a chance. If nothing else, I had assumed that it was a tiny patch of trees isolated from a larger forest lurking somewhere on the outskirts of my immense city.

Heeding its whispers, I turned once more toward the mystical forest path. To my left there were worn wooden steps buried in the steep gravel path. Someone had already discovered this hidden haven of serenity and in the process of their discovery, they had marked a safe passage for future visits. Would they be offended by my trespassing?

Come, the forest seemed to hum in response to my hesitance. Lose yourself within me and find your inner peace, child.

Larkynn de la Fuerza

                                     Larkynn de la Fuerza

With one last look over my shoulder at the life I knew, the city I called home, I nodded and began walking once more. My pace slowed drastically as I continued forward, staring in amazement in every direction, as I walked further into the depths of the forest.

Maybe a little nature walk would be good for me.

On my right a stream gurgled by slowly far below me, beams of light sparkling in the swirling waves. Out of the corner of my eye, they almost looked like water sprites peeking shyly from the current at me, curious of the forest’s latest visitor.

Birds and squirrels called to me from their treetop perches, seemingly agreeing with my astonishment, welcoming me to their wondrous home. Their bright feathers of blue and red, dark pelts of brown and gray contrasted fantastically with

the dark, lush greenery surrounding us. They stood out beautifully and yet blended in perfectly. Only a slow, careful observer could pin point their exact locations.

My stress and worries began to drain away from me, flowing down the stream, back toward the city—the world from which I had come, but left so far behind. Even my darkest thoughts began to rush away from me, moving with a roaring sound of their own, very similar to the sound of cascading water and the swooshing of rustling leaves.

The further I walked, the louder the rushing, tumbling water sounds became, drowning out any other negative emotions and thoughts lingering in the depths of my mind. Everywhere I looked, there was so much life and beauty. It was hard to be anything but calm and silently amazed. The further I walked, the more I was convinced that I had entered a new and stunning world so different from my own.

Larkynn de la Fuerza

My heart swelled with one final thought, I never want to leave, before the waterfall itself came into view. It was small, but mesmerizing. Tiered river rocks created a layered ledge of miniature falls several feet below me. They held my riveted attention, the water running over the rocks, glistening in the sun seemed to have absolutely no concerns or responsibilities. I wanted nothing more than to remove my shoes and wade into the moving, relaxing stream below.

But first, I had to reach them. The path to my right was lined with a wooden fence, preventing me from attempting to climb down the cliff where I stood. It was a reasonable precaution. The water was so alluring, it diminished even my fear of heights.

Looking a head, the path continued, lined by the wooden rails. Sighing, I followed it without question, noticing where all those that had been far less patient than I had forged trails of their own down the steep embankment. There were several foot holds available in the jutting river rocks along the slope, but I stuck to the safer trail behind the man-made fence.

Safer to stick to the path, the birds seemed to tweet and I agreed with them readily. There was no harm in following the slowly sloping path to its end. Each step brought me closer to being level with the falls themselves. Surely it would lead me to the river.

At some point, my curiosity got the better of me though as I found a worn foot trail not blocked by the man-made barricade. I walked slowly, clutching at the rough bark of the towering giants as I passed beneath them. I still managed to slip, catching myself from sliding over the edge by crouching low, and reaching backward.

I came eye to eye with a lazy garter snake sun bathing on an exposed tree root. Careful, he crooned to me in a quiet hiss. Tread lightly.

I nodded to him and righted myself slowly. I continued down the path and stood toe to toe with the rushing, gurgling stream. The falls roared in my ears, calling to me. Join us!

                                     Larkynn de la Fuerza

Ignoring the sign that read, “No swimming or jumping off of the falls”, I striped off my socks and shoes, giddy with the thought of dipping my naked toes into the swirling, cascading water. As almost an after thought, I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and stashed it in my shoes with my socks before taking my first tentative step into the stream.

The water was cold upon my skin, but instead of dissuading me from continuing, it called me forward. I walked until I was ankle deep in the rushing water. A slight tug pulled me toward the edge, but it was playful and nonthreatening. I slowly paced from one bank to the other, staring down at my feet with every step. The river sprites danced among my footsteps, guiding me safely across to either side.

How had I never known that a place such as this existed?

How did it have the power to wash away all of my worries and concerns?

Seek us out when your heart is worn and wearied by the soot of your civilization, the falls chanted.

Somewhere, a jarring electronic alarm started blaring, its screams startling the birds into a frenzied flight above my head. It shattered the forest’s enchantment over my me, the water sprites dove back into the depths of the river and reality settled around my shoulders once more. My lunch break was almost over.

Despite my disappointment with having to leave my newfound haven, the thought of returning to the city could not shake my new found inner peace.

Salvation can be found even in the heart of corruption and pollution, the forest reminded me gently, as I put my shoes back on and climbed hand over hand back toward the path.

Never. Forget. The falls chanted with every heavy foot fall as I jogged back toward the city. Visit. Often.

                                     Larkynn de la Fuerza

At the mouth of the path where the loose gravel met pavement, I turned around once more, slightly out of breath and looked back at the cool, tree-darkened world I was leaving behind. I would never forget the inner peace it granted me, a troubled soul seeking salvation. I would be back, and maybe, just maybe, I would bring him with me next time.