One mind, different people

POV: Girl: Autumn is a hit or miss. I can never tell whether I hate it or love it. In my case, as I grew older I progressively started to dislike fall. For starters the climate is numbing, the weather is already a reason to dislike the season. As time progresses it becomes unbearable for me to take a step outside. Although the color change of the leaves and the migration of animals is an enticing glimpse, it draws you away. Fall leads to the beginning of school, and work for some. Holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving are the only days that seem like a break from reality. Whether that’s seeing children dressed up as monsters or getting a day off of school. Of course, this year is much different than the years prior, most of our basic traditions including holidays, activities, and even schools are different. I’m separated from my classmates this year due to the new shift in e-learning, trick or treating is canceled this year, and gathering up in big gatherings is practically another way of asking to be sick. Once every season my family and I gather to go apple picking, potentially to the point where we would have a stock of apples for about a year. Due to the pandemic, most apple picking farms were closed, the only one that was open was 2 hours away. Even though the commute was way too long just to buy some apples, my family and I were not going to let covid destroy one of our longest traditions. We miscalculated how long the drive was going to take us, we were already running late. Being at home so often had me forgetting how long it takes to get ready to go out, also getting everything we need for the apple picking with the additional sanitary and safety precautions. Not to mention the bathroom, coffee, and gas breaks in between the drive it took us roughly three hours to arrive. By the time we got to the apple picking point, it was near sundown. The sky was gray with a glimpse of yellow appearing slowly. The apple picking farm was near empty unlike how I remember it. I didn’t see anyone around asides from the workers, even then whenever we greeted them we were a few feet apart. It reminded me of an enchanted garden, everything looked so fresh and bright compared to the gloomy sky. Within time the sunset hit and I spent minutes gazing at the setting with awe. Straight out of the sightings of a story it seemed perfect, but also so very lonely. It was empty and we weren’t able to touch or run around as freely as we did before any of this happened. When I got out of my daydream, I was left alone. There wasn’t anybody nearby. My parents and the worker they were with had gone out ahead whilst the sky grew darker than a raven’s feather. I didn’t panic, I walked around thinking I would’ve found them easily, this farm was much bigger than I anticipated. I never noticed how daring the stars were at this time, it was hard to enjoy as it became cold though. I walked back to where I was previously and sat there next to the apple tree. My parents were surely going to come soon, it’s not an endless abyss. I looked up at the stars and shivered, I heard steps and someone approached me stopping 2 meters then sat laying their back on a separate tree. I turned my head down and to the side to see who it was. It was a boy my age gazing up at the stars just like I was. He was contrasting in looks to me, he had dark hair, and wore muted color clothing, a fall sweater with a thick jacket for warmth, and loose-fitting jeans with boots. He spoke no words but gazed up at the sky. He placed a bag next to him with dozens of apples inside, all bright red. All I heard was silence as I placed my head high and stared at the sky. I wasn’t sure if I should speak to him or not.

POV:Boy:

When summer ends I get an unbearable feeling of confusion. Something is always bothering me but I can never tell what it is. My city is based in the middle of nowhere, and there was never much to do even before covid struck. I was stuck at home most of the time. I spent most of my time alone in these months since my parents worked in a separate city, hours away. I could feel loneliness directly, stronger now when nightfall is shifting closer. There are plenty of farms in my area, all only a couple of minutes' walk from my house. Like someone in a big city would rush to a cafe to buy their daily coffee, is the same way I come to pick up a fresh apple. Living in a small city like this, everyone knows each other. Since the virus this city has felt even more isolated than normal, it’s like a ghost town. I had to have someone else pick me an apple this today. I came at around 6:00 pm and time went by so quickly, the sky had already hit its sleep point. The apple picking farms are so big where I live due to their being less land development than others. The owner picked about a dozen of the freshest apples they carry, and while I was walking back home I noticed somebody my age, a girl sitting by an apple tree. I hadn’t seen her before, she must be new. We were opposing, contrasting in away. In my eyes she was bright. She wore an orange knitted sweater, with bright blue jeans and a black puffer vest. Her hair caught my attention as it was as red as the apples near. I couldn’t see her face, since she was wearing a mask of course. I decided to sit next to her. It took courage for me to say anything, I’m not used to speaking to strangers, also while speaking in a mask I can never match my volume normally. 

Thinking:together: “Sometimes you don’t need to speak to get your point across, rather you don’t need to speak to feel a connection even if that person’s a stranger. As it can seem.”.

Girl: Thoughts: “I think fall is the time where our mind is running at its most, it is thinking the most. With all this open time. Spending time alone, we are given so much time just to think. Whether that is thinking about our own decisions or not. Our minds are wild and free. But sometimes letting yourself fly openly without someone on your side can be dangerous.”

Boy: Thoughts: Loneliness to me is somewhat of a slow illness, it can be deadly. With a time like this where everyone is further apart than usual, it’s difficult not to be dragged into an abyss of all of your deepest thoughts and secrets. Is there a reason for me to feel this way, I had friends growing up, good parents, and healthy living situations so I shouldn’t be feeling this way, right?

Girl: Thoughts: Living in a big city feels much lonelier than it should be although there are more opportunities and more things to do. I can’t help but continue to feel worse still. Everyone should be wild and free, but we are stuck to technology all day as if our creativity and spirit are bound through screens. I hate it but not copying everyone else can end in your downfall. As we must all be presented the same, we all must feel the same and act the same. Otherwise, you would be seen as an outsider, and being an outsider in a place is equal to being a black sheep in a herd of white sheep.

Boy: Thoughts: Looking at her brings me envy, I wish I could drive myself to become more individualistic. Everyone sure looks the same, anything that isn’t common attire from the locals will draw you out too much, even if I wear something like what that redhead is wearing I’ll stand out, and I don’t wanna stand out. My dark clothes blend in, blending in that’s what’s important.

Thinking: Together:

I just want "change".

POV: Girl:

I heard my mom calling my name, it was from far away. I got up and followed the sound of her voice as it became stronger by each step. I finally found my parents and the exit of the farm. “ So you thought disappearing would get you out of carrying the apples” my mom added. Well, it wouldn’t be worthwhile if we didn’t grab a few bags of apples, now would it. I carried them back to our car. The only source of light was the light posts outside. There weren’t any cars passing and all the other cars in the parking lot had already left. 

POV: Boy: The atmosphere had changed, it was now completely empty. There was no reason to stay and it was about time I brought my fresh apples with me home.