Yiqiao Huang, Grade 11
UWC Changshu China
I was walking with my friend beside Kuncheng Lake at dusk. I stared into the distance until some marshmallow clouds obscured my vision to the beyond. I had halted my steps to stare into the distance: a curve of the distant levée marked the line where the blue sky met the sapphire water; seagulls gliding past the still surface of the lake like small ghosts; I tossed a rock into the waters, “pop”, as ripples spread around the center, forming never-ending cycles…
Then, in my head, I heard my favorite guitar song. Though silence surrounded me, the melody streamed to my ears, speaking of tales that brought my senses to far, far away. The waves in the surging lake beat against the shores, chanting melodies in accompaniment. My friend’s laughter faded in my ears. Then I realized that I was humming myself. Then, my friend’s arm was around me, and she spoke to me, as gently as that tune in my head, “the waves are beautiful.”
“Do you like the water as much as I do?” I asked her.
“Yes. I feel like it is calling out to me.” She whispered back.
True, the innate calming feature of water has entered us both, and this time, the sounds.
She said the sound of brave visitors on the banks seem to call to her soul and suggested that I
bring my tea set here. “Let’s chat.”
As I poured hot water into a lidded cup, sounds of bubbles popped, quietly but constantly. The fresh smell of Oolong tea leaves reached our noses. I tipped some of the liquid into both of our cups. My taste buds ravenously absorbed every sip of tea to its fullest, and as I sensed it flowing into my heart, the sky was tinted with lavender and lilac. I watched the sun send its last slanting rays of warmth down to the earth, and the two girls below the pavilion. My heart was content – I knew time condensed its way into tranquility here.
Then, my friend’s voice caressed my ears again like the spring wind. “In where I’m from, this is the time when we have our fourth meal of the day. Tea is an essential part, you know? People just gather by the streets to see the light fade and chat about trifles after meals. I like how we are now. It’s just like that.”
A current of happiness surged into my heart. She conveyed a story about her hometown, where the location and customs are distant, which I vaguely perceived in that little tune that emerged in my mind. Her soft voice seems to be sharing another sentiment of warmth. In the hustle and bustle of modern times or even nearer to us, in school work, being able to sit down and allow nature to wash over you felt exceptionally precious.
The sound of waves engulfed my ears again, as I sensed a connection between our souls I cannot explain. It was only there, with her, that I discovered the tune in my head. It was only with her that my inner feelings inexplicably connected to the tender touch of her voice which formed meanings in my head. I would seal the dusk, along with the splash of waves, sips of tea, and tunes of tales, in my memories.
Then, in my head, I heard my favorite guitar song. Though silence surrounded me, the melody streamed to my ears, speaking of tales that brought my senses to far, far away. The waves in the surging lake beat against the shores, chanting melodies in accompaniment. My friend’s laughter faded in my ears. Then I realized that I was humming myself. Then, my friend’s arm was around me, and she spoke to me, as gently as that tune in my head, “the waves are beautiful.”
“Do you like the water as much as I do?” I asked her.
“Yes. I feel like it is calling out to me.” She whispered back.
True, the innate calming feature of water has entered us both, and this time, the sounds.
She said the sound of brave visitors on the banks seem to call to her soul and suggested that I
bring my tea set here. “Let’s chat.”
As I poured hot water into a lidded cup, sounds of bubbles popped, quietly but constantly. The fresh smell of Oolong tea leaves reached our noses. I tipped some of the liquid into both of our cups. My taste buds ravenously absorbed every sip of tea to its fullest, and as I sensed it flowing into my heart, the sky was tinted with lavender and lilac. I watched the sun send its last slanting rays of warmth down to the earth, and the two girls below the pavilion. My heart was content – I knew time condensed its way into tranquility here.
Then, my friend’s voice caressed my ears again like the spring wind. “In where I’m from, this is the time when we have our fourth meal of the day. Tea is an essential part, you know? People just gather by the streets to see the light fade and chat about trifles after meals. I like how we are now. It’s just like that.”
A current of happiness surged into my heart. She conveyed a story about her hometown, where the location and customs are distant, which I vaguely perceived in that little tune that emerged in my mind. Her soft voice seems to be sharing another sentiment of warmth. In the hustle and bustle of modern times or even nearer to us, in school work, being able to sit down and allow nature to wash over you felt exceptionally precious.
The sound of waves engulfed my ears again, as I sensed a connection between our souls I cannot explain. It was only there, with her, that I discovered the tune in my head. It was only with her that my inner feelings inexplicably connected to the tender touch of her voice which formed meanings in my head. I would seal the dusk, along with the splash of waves, sips of tea, and tunes of tales, in my memories.
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