My feet make a crunching sound of the cold brittle ice. I take a longer stride to step on that one piece of ice just a little too for my foot. It breaks satisfyingly. With W.W. Fenn on my right, I tilted my head towards Ward Hall. Something pops out at me. Something different. I see more vividly the contrast between the moist cloudy sky against the pearly white wood. The chipped paint looked even better than the possibility of perfection. Bronze gleams streak across my face. I squinted at the big bell glaring down at us. The sounds of the kids playing football merged with my inner thoughts, which tainted my mind. I was infected by the nostalgia of younger years, which were not necessarily easier than now, but more blissful. Having aspirations to grow up and become a big kid was all the jazz. Then just like that, it hit me. All of these times will be changing for me next year. I can’t preserve these great fellowships with my peers in the same way, no matter how hard I try. Yes, I could stay for 9th grade, but there is no way in hell that it will be the same. I zone back into the real world. My feet start losing traction of the sheet of ice. The flag flaps in the wind, as almost if it was saying “Good Morning Eli!” I correct myself on to the concrete path. 

My soles slap against the ground. I know that having these great relationships must eventually end. Dread starts to seep through the Emotion bottler 9000’s patented Sad-B-Gone mesh. No matter what I do, it feels like time is an oily eel slipping and sliding its way through my grip. When I tighten down it flys away and heads for everything I love. I’m just the conductor along for the ride trying to stop the train. I open the door to the library and get slapped by the sea of voices. I know that dwelling on this feeling will just make it worse, so I tell myself to just finish the day. Working through the day can aid me for a bit, so I will—yet I know that I am going to have to head back into the cave and face the beast one more time. “Hey Fitz.” I blurted.

Cherish the times you have; before you know it, they will be over.