My Entry

    She loved photography. The feel of the lens underneath her forefinger and thumb felt heavy, powerful even. That very power made her feel as if this was her only purpose in life. Taking pictures was a release from her family, friends, and her job. Capturing a moment in time that could never be again.

    She giggled a little as the small, bright lime, green caterpillar inched its way over the dew covered daisy. It dodged the dollops as it found its way to the yellow center of the tiny flower. Holding up the camera and adjusting the lens she pressed her finger over the silver, round, button and the shutter made a loud snapping noise. She set the camera down on the cold grass and stuck out her finger to rescue the little creature. The caterpillar climbed on the tip of her finger and waited. She smiled at the green bug and placed him gently on the branch of a crab apple tree. The camera that laid on the grass snapped. Following the sound of the shutter the camera started to pull the reel backwards signaling a rewind. She didn't think she had another picture left on the film.

    The air was crisp and a little on the chilly side. It was the  beginning of Spring the birds were chirping their songs of the sun, squirrels danced to the tune around the tree trunks. The sun covered the land in it's warmth, and the wind blew a icy breeze to ease the suns warming rays. In all of it's beauty the park seemed a little different this morning. She couldn't help  but feel like someone was watching her durring her outing. Constently looking around as if someone stepped out from behind one of the massive pine trees. She could have sworn she heard a crunch of
frosted grass undreneath a shoe. Maybe the air was a bit too chilly.

    Deciding it was just a wierd morning she popped the camera open and took out the reel. She placed it back inside it's orginal tubing and started walkng back to her car. Her light blue 1972 Cadillac devile smelled like fresh apples. An air freshener hung from the rear view mirror. The car was old and didn't run very well, however, it got her where she wanted to go. Having a few dollars in her purse she couldn't wait to get them developed. Feeling very confident she started up her vehicle which came to life after a few trys and drove to the nearest CVS in town. She parked her caddy and headed inside. The clerk behind the counter greeted her "Hello mam, can I help you with anything today?". He a was very young man with firey red hair. Freckles danced sporatically across his pale cheeks. Complete with deep blue eyes, they were beautiful she thought. The complection of his skin was trasparent and the warm red hair contrasted his eyes. a perfect picture she thought.

Smiling she said "Yes, I need this role off film developed".
"One copy or doubles?" he asked.
"Just one" she proclaimed.
"Its going to take an hour for me to develope these, are you sure you dont want to develope them yourself?" He asked gazing at my camera bag and tripod case.
"No, im tight on cash but I will keep the negatives just in case" She said. 

    With nothing better to do she walked around the corner to the cafe and ordered a cup of joe. She sat at one of the round tables impatiently blowing on the top of the hot liquid to cool it. After the hour of daydreaming and sipping coffee, she strode back to CVS to pick up her photos. Once inside she walked up to the red headed clerk.

"Hello my name is Carol can I please see my pictures?"
"yes they just finnished, that will be ten dollars and ninty five cents please."
She dug through her purse and pulled out a wad of green paper. She found a ten and a single and placed the money in the boys sweaty hands.
"Here is your change and your photos, have a great day!"
"Thanks!" she said excitedly.

    She got to her car and immediatly pulled the thick envelope out of the plastic bag. Her work from this morning looked even more beautiful then if you were there in person. The happy caterpillar was the star in most of these photographs however she did take some pictures of the park. sifting thorugh the pictures she came across one that wasn't familiar. "It couldn't have come from today" she thought.

    The picture was of a person, a man. he was tall and thin, but the sillouette of his body was shaded in and the detail was washed out. The man was staring right into the lens and she could just make out a smile on his face. He had looked sadistic, not smiling happily at all. This smile was more of a smirk and straining to view more detail she notices one eye was close. He was winking at her? looking more toward his feet she noticed that he became trasparent. The figure was still there but the mans leg's were not. A shiver went through her. She did not take this picture. She could tell from the angle that the camera was lying on the grass and it was facing the man.

A wave of terror ran across her face as she turned to look at the road leading to the park. "A ghost?" she said out loud. It is the only explination of the photo. Photos capture moments in time, moments that can never be recreated. She knew if she went back to the park the man would be gone, just a memory captured in a camera. Accepting this mostly out of fear to go back Carol never returned to the park. She loved photography and apparently someone else did too.