Observation

The school bell tolls the end of the day.

"All right everyone, thank you for your time. I'll see you all next week. Have a nice weekend," the teacher said as she left the room.

Everyone quickly began putting their things away, except for the few who stopped listening ten minutes or so ago. The class immediately descended back into the chaos that ensues at the start of the day. "So, are you going anywhere today?" "Have any plans today?" "I'm going out with..." "Somebody called me over..."

I silently put my things away as everyone else filed out.

"Hey, you're still not packed up?" a voice whispered in my ear.

I looked up with a start. Staring right in my face was one of my friends, Valencia. Behind her was Alicia and Tara.

"Oh right, yeah something's been on my mind lately," I replied.

"Hmm, want to talk about it?" Tara asked.

"No, not really," I quickly responded.

"Well, feel free to share with us if you ever think you need to." Valencia replied with a smile.

"Thanks guys."

"Oh right, we almost forgot, Valencia..." Alicia said nudging Valencia.

"Hmm?" She looked blank. "Oh yeah!" She held her arm out. "Your application has been accepted. Maya Sanders, welcome to the Photography Club!"

"We look forward to working with you!" Alicia and Tara cheerfully declared as I shook hands with Valencia.

"Wow guys, thanks for having me!"

"Well then ready for first day?" Valencia asked.

"Yes, very much so! But..." my heart momentarily sank. "I didn't bring my camera."

"No worries, you can use your phone camera today. But if you really want, I can lend you my old camera, I brought it in case something like this were to happen." She said handing it over as she winked.

"Really? Thanks!"

"Alright then, shall we head over to today's spot?"

"Where's that?"

The three of them looked at each other. "Don't worry, you won't be disappointed."

The spot turned out to be the pier. No boats had moored in yet. However, the sun was already beginning to set. As it's light dimmed it cast it's beautiful amber hue onto the waters of the sea and beach as the waters itself create the soothing swishing and whooshing. Valencia was right, I'm not disappointed.

We spent over three hours looking this way and that, taking photos of the water, the clouds, the boats on the horizon as they floated home.

"All right guys, I guess it's time to call it a day," Valencia announced as she put her camera down after taking a shot of a seagull against the sun on the horizon.

"Remember to bring your memory cards tomorrow, we'll be editing the pictures for the magazine."

I was still scanning the scene with my camera when I caught sight of an amazing shot. A man laying back onto a beam holding the dock up, sitting parallel to the edge, staring outward at the sea, arm and leg dangling over the water. I took it and put the camera down to see the capture. A perfect shot. I looked up again at the dock, but was surprised to see the man was no longer there. I stood there perplexed for a second. Then I simply reasoned he walked behind one of the boats that were starting to dock. I turned off the camera and handed it over Valencia.

"Thanks for lending me your camera," I said.

"No problem. I'll be sending you the photographs you took, they're your responsibility now. Remember to bring them tomorrow," she replied.

"I won't forget, see you tomorrow!"

We bid good bye to each other.

Back home, I waited for the images to be sent to me. My phone chimed as the message entered my mail. I fired up my laptop and downloaded the images from my mail. One by one I looked through each image. Then finally came the last one.

It looked exactly like what I saw back at the pier. The person, I noticed however, was not a man. It was a boy, a teenager. Then one by one more details started to become apparent. He had with him, a school bag. Headphones were wrapped around his head, as a book lay open at his feet, a blue jacket tied around his neck, worn as a cape.

Something about this scene, this boy, felt familiar, like I had seen some form of it elsewhere. But where? Who was this kid?