beauty.

I was wandering away from my group I was delicately placed into. I usually do so, and they don't care until the end of the day, and they ask each other, "Where is Saige?" they exchange shrugs and looks of worry, and I appear out of the darkness with leaves in my hair hollering, "I'm here! I'm here!" then I get judgmental stares.

The sun was just above the mountains in the distance, and it was bright. twigs and leaves crunched below my feet as I walked further and further, that's when I noticed it on the ground, lying among the leaves and green grass, an old and scuffed disposable camera. I stop walking and everything is quiet, the birds are still asleep, so I had to wait for them to sing their sweet songs once again. 

I looked around, and all I saw was the tall trees and natures flowers, I looked back at the old camera. 

"It's probably broken." I thought quickly. but something tempted me, and before I knew it, the camera was in my hand. 

"I should get the film developed in the shop downtown." I said quietly to myself, I admired the camera before I heard yelling in the distance. 

"Saige!" I heard. "Saige!!" I heard another voice say. I look up to the sky, it wasn't dark, it was still bright. I put the camera in my bag. "Coming!" I hollered back, cupping my hands over my mouth to project my voice more. 

when I got back to my group, I got greeted with a soft gaze. "You're safe!" I heard someone cheer. "Yeah, I am." I said softly. 

the rest of the walk was silent, some chatter went on, and eventually the birds started singing their sweet melodies. but I couldn't get the camera off my mind, why was it left there? and why did it look so vintage? I was really excited to get off this trail and downtown to the shop to get this film developed. 

the day was finally over, we waved to each other as cars vroomed up and down, the sun was setting, and it was hiding behind the distant mountains. I was the only one who had to walk home, I had no one to pick me up after these long walks up and down the forest trails. 

when I finally made it downtown, the shops light was bright, and I ran inside. 

"Ms. Love!" I hollered as she appeared from behind the counter with clanking necklaces and jingling bracelets. 

Ms. Love owned a small record shop, and she was well known for developing film usually for free. she lets me listen to records on the record player in the shop all day. 

"Hello, dear." She said softly. I pulled out the camera. "I found this cool camera in the forest; I was wondering if you could develop whatever is in here, if anything actually is in here." I said happily. "Sure!" She replied and took the camera, disappearing in the back room, I tried to look through the doorway, but it was hard to see. She appeared after a while and handed me the fresh pictures. She leaned on the desk with a smiled. "Those are some pretty pictures that are taken on there." She said with her soft glare. 

I looked over the photos in awe. "Wow." I said quietly. I looked up at her with a stunned look. "These are gorgeous! I've never seen sunsets like this, and these photos of the flowers and birds are amazing!" I said with excitement. "There's a baby deer and a momma dear in the back of that one." She said, pointing to one in the far right. "Gorgeous..." I said to myself. 

As I walked home, I got distracted by the beauty, and when I made it to my room, I hung them up an inch apart. they had beauty I've never seen before, and I'll never forget it.