Essay on My Summer of 2008: The Fountain of Youth

During the summer of 2008 my friends and I watched a ton of spy movies. So consequently, we wanted to know everything about where we lived, in case something happened... as if something were going to happen. During July of that year, Dan.V, one of my close friends at the time, decided to start exploring the neighborhood, and just like that we all followed along. That summer was a scorcher; I remember biking to the nearby park and every ten minutes we would stop for a break under shade. We went everywhere that summer! Explored parks, backyards, the nearby auction, and even the creek that ran through all our backyards. Until one day when something went wrong

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Let me back up a bit. Im a night person. My family and friends call me a night owl. Waking up early isnt my thing, but my friends love the morning. Dan was the person to come to your house early in the morning and bang your door down until you answer. He was persistent. He would go to your window and yell until you answered. There was no way of hiding from him. After Dan decided to explore the neighborhood, every free time we got he would round up the group and get us to go exploring with him. Alex.V was the fussy one. He wanted to live very simply, go school, come home, eat, and sleep. Thats what he considered a good life. We knew we had to break him of that habit. So, we dragged him along with us. Jon. was like me. We didnt care what we did really but we enjoyed each others company.

We started off small, biking around our houses and exploring the nearby streets. But that only lasted a week or two. It wasnt hard for us to figure out how to navigate streets, so we moved on to harder stuff. We eventually found our way to the nearby elementary school. Now this was interesting. We knew about our school but only during school hours. We took a bus from our homes to the schools, but biking was different. We had to cross a bridge and highway to get to it. It was exhilarating! Seeing the school after hours really made us think of the things we take for granted or looked over. For some reason, we kept going back to the school after hours but never went on the property. It was during our biking sessions in the mornings when we would visit the school and take a look at the property and structures from afar without getting into the classrooms or any other buildings. We would just admire how the school was without the students and teachers.

One hot day towards the end of August on the bike ride to school, we stopped to take a break on the bridge. We looked down upon the creek and wondered why weve never explored this. We hid our bikes by some nearby trees and hopped right in. It was a dry summer so the water level was considerably low. We examined the creek and thought that it was not so risky to travel and explore the creek, so it became another thing we had to explore. We spent hours that day exploring the creek, it was like find a new world! Trees banked along the sides of the creek giving shade to us. Water weaved a path only touching the deepest parts of the creek, leaving some sides dry. The small amount of water in the creek made noise hitting each corner as it turned. Some parts of the creeks wall were too steep but rocks made stepping stones for us to cross to the other side of the creek without us going into the water. We could smell the moisture in the air and the suction like feeling from the mud.

We must have spent at least six hours exploring the creek but it felt like only an hour had passed. We did various along and around the creek by building shades besides the creek, we took a walk along the creek and explored both ends of the creek. We sat down around the creek, collected wild fruits and told stories to one another. Darkness soon fell on us and Alex finally said the words we all were thinking but dreading, I think we have to stop today, guys. Simple words that turned the fun around. The feeling of playing with your friends when younger but your mom utters the words We have to go now. After we dragged our feet out of the creek and came running out from someones backyard, we realize we only traveled maybe a quarter a mile. We started walking home, all of us so excited to see what else we could find the next day. Coming closer to the street light, that separated our houses, we made a vow to each other by promising each other that one would be punished by beings suspended for one week from groups adventures. We would only go back if we all can go. The next day didnt come until weeks pass. We all became busy with family matters.

One day in September, we finally got back together. Dan came banging again and shouting, get up lil folk, it is time for adventure. I knew this day was the finally the day we said we would visit the creek again. We geared up in garden boots, old ragged jeans, and some of our old shirts, with that we went exploring. Upon exploring the creek for an hour or two, we found this extended piece of land that made the creek curve around it. It lay perfectly surrounded by trees and thickets. From inside the creek we could only see thorns vines and the trees surrounding, we wondered what secrets it held inside. We climbed the creeks walls to on the high ground and peered over to see the center. We couldnt see a thing. It was too well concealed. Moving a little further down the creek we found a way to get inside. It was a thick tree that had recently fell and made a path for us, it was like nature was showing us the way. The tree had branches at variant intervals, some thick and some we could just snap off. Jon didnt hesitate: he jumped on the tree, weaved through the branches, crossed the creek, and ran his way in, we followed. Looking towards the center, we saw a single ray of sunlight. At the end of the beam of light seemed to be a little basin of water. The water, like the surrounding area was perfect, untouched. None of us seemed to know what to do but to let it all sink in, Jon asked, guys, where are we going to? I could remember hearing the birds chirping in the distance and the soothing water sounds emanating from the creek. That piece of land became the school, it became the thing we needed to figure out. Every aspect of that piece of land was something out of a fairy tale that made us keep coming back, it was magical.

Over the next couple months that followed, we kept visiting the basin. We eventually started calling it The Fountain of Youth or TFY for short. It became our hang out spot, we would explore the creek and the nearby forest but always come back. The tree that was our bridge over to TFY was clean, we cleared the branches and leaves away to make a straight path. We started feeling winters chill on our faces and it soon became too cold for us to go back to the creek.

During that year of school, we were so excited to go back and visit TFY, and thus prompted Dan to shout, We will continue from where we have left out adventures! but we held off because Jon went to a private school and couldnt make it. Spring break came, we were all finally were back together and excited to visit our secret location. Dan came banging on the door as I knew he would, but this time when I opened the door I saw two faces. One was Dan, and the other was his girlfriend, Mary. I didnt mind but the others thought it was weird, showing someone else our secret place. Nevertheless, on the way to the creek I could see the anticipation on their faces, we couldnt wait any longer. We started to speed up, racing pass each other as we went along. Finally reaching the entrance of the creek, we parked our bikes under the shaded tree and looked down. Instantly we noticed the water level was a lot higher then it normally was. The passive creek that we knew was no more. It was a rushing water way, being used how nature designed it. We had to stay on the bank of the creek the whole time while walking towards TFY. While on our way there, we could hear the water trashing about trying to escape its path. While approaching our beloved spot, we noticed the main passage to enter TFY had changed. The thick tree that made a bridge for us was no longer a whole tree. It drooped in the middle and we could see water trying to squeeze underneath its trunk. Its leaves were gone and it started to split in the middle but not completely. Looking back at everyones faces I could see their concern. Alex was the first to speak, asking Well, whos up first? We all took another look at the tree and then glanced towards the other side, as if we were judging if it was worth doing. Being the closer one to the tree Dan shouted, I should lead the way. Trying to interrupt him, Mary frantically insisting that no one should cross. At that moment, Jon went pass me. Carefully making each step, he climbed the tree and started walking across. At Marys words, I knew what Jon was thinking, She doesnt understand this place like we do! as I was thinking the same. We stood in silence as we watched the tree and how it would react to every move he made. Thud, he landed on the other side and waved for us to follow. Like that I became next in line.

I could remember the feeling of the bark of the tree as I climbed on, flaky, coarse, and damp. I started to move forward, making precise, careful steps. My mind was marking each distance I went along the tree; Quarter of the way, half way there, only a few more steps needed and I could jump to the other side. At that moment, I heard the tree make a moaning sound. Snap, the tree split in half. It was like the feeling of waking up with a jolt. For an instance, time felt like it froze; I couldnt think of what to do next, all I knew was I was in some serious trouble. As I fell towards the rushing water, I tried to grasp the closes ledge I could reach. I felt the cold moist feeling of mud between my right hand while my body was submerged in water. Using all my might, fighting against the current, I brought myself up, could breathe air. I felt the warmth of another hand on my own. It was Jon trying his hardest to drag me out of the water. With his help, I brought myself on top of the bank and from there I laid resting, flat on my back. During the fall into the water, I couldnt hear anything or maybe it was my mind prioritizing what needed to be done. Now laying on the flat land, I regained my sense of hearing. What surprised me was, there was laughter in the air. Raising my head to look, I saw both Dan and Alex having a fit of laughter while Mary and Jon both had the look of anxiety on their face. I stood up checked myself for any major injuries and thanked Jon for his help.

After some time waiting by TFY, trying to gather our thoughts. I started to see that TFY had also changed. The glow it once had, faded away. It was like something delicate but got tampered by humans, ruined its magical appeal. The trees looked unhealthy and its iconic water basin it once had in the middle, wasnt there. We knew it was time to leave. Trying to avoid getting into any more situations, we took our time. Weaving our way through the torn vines., trying to find our way out. Sunlight shun from the edge of the forest leading our way out.

On the way back home, we decided to walk with the bikes in our hands. Dan, Alex, and Mary in the back talking and laughing about a conversation unknown. Jon and myself walking ahead in silence. After some time and with some distance between us, Jon said I cant believe they started laughing! They didnt make a move to help at all! I shrugged it off. I honestly didnt really care! I was just glad nothing else happened.

Whether it be psychological or not. The friends that laughed that day, through time we ended up splitting ways. The ones that were concerned for my wellbeing, Im still very good friends with too this day.