a cold summer

Chapter One ~ Alfresco Dining

We sat outside in the garden on an old tartan picnic rug which was littered with mountains of food. Sandwiches, sausage rolls, chicken pie, salad, lemonade, crisps; everything you could possibly need for a perfect summer picnic. The lake glistened next to us in the sunlight and I felt the warmth radiating from the sun.

This was the perfect way to start the summer holidays.

I was beyond hungry, so I went straight for the food first. I bit into a sausage roll, still warm from the shop. It was truly delicious.

"You sure are hungry," Jesse commented.

I was about to reply but my mouth was still full of sausage roll. Instead I made more of a sputter.

Jesse laughed. She has this laugh that instantly makes you want to laugh too, even if it's not funny. Her wild personality matches her curly brown hair which sticks up in all directions due to the heat. Her eyes are a soft and almost comforting brown.

Isa reached for a cheese sandwich. She's more reserved, her silvery blonde hair tied back into a small ponytail. Her deep blue eyes contrast with the green water and sky surrounding our picnic.

After having eaten what felt like my body weight in food, I eventually lay down in the grass and closed my eyes. The grass felt pleasantly warm, heated by the suns persistent rays. It also felt soft, like a fluffy carpet. It was very comfortable.

"This is nice," I muttered. It had been cold and miserable for far too long, and as fascinating as my first year of marine biology had been, it did entail a ridiculous amount of work. I had written so many essays and learned so much theory that it was nice to just be around water for a change. We don't get to do fieldwork out in the loch until second year.

Jesse studies criminal justice which is basically where you learn how to solve crimes such as murders. I didn't even know that was a thing before I met her. Isa, on the other hand, studies forensic sciences where you examine dead bodies and stuff to try and find out how they died. They both want to work for the police someday.

I still don't know what I want to do. I took marine biology because I enjoy it, however I'm still not sure where it will take me. But as my professor always says, our paths in life are never a straight line, so I'll cross that bridge when I get closer to it.

"I'm too hot," Isa complained. "Can we go swim now?"
"Sure thing," I replied.

I packed up the remaining empty boxes and wrappers that held our picnic and rolled up the picnic rug. Jesse and Isa ran inside to get changed as I brought the remnants of our picnic back inside.

Just as I turned around, something rustled in the distance. I whipped my head back around but saw nothing. Judging from the sound, it was probably the bushes in the dark forest. They're so dry that the slightest bit of wind causes them to make a scratchy, rustling noise.

I shrugged and ran back inside.