Last Summer

• Sejung Park, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2010

All is good: the flawless blue sky above, the expanse of shimmering ocean to our left, my friends and I perched delicately on top of a small grassy mound. Somewhere in the distance, there are the faint calls of the bustling city suburbs we have left behind. A loud silence falls upon us, for the gaps of silence are hiding swarming thoughts which we are too scared to utter aloud. This will be our last summer.
Summer is limitless. Stretching as far as the horizon where the blazing sun comes in contact with the Earth. Opportunities to do things undreamt of doing in different circumstances. A summer job. A summer vacation. A summer love. Inviting us to feel impulsive, to jump in and make a large splash.
Summer is fun. No school. No assignments. No annoying teachers. No useless arguments among peers where passion momentarily overrides reason. Zero pressure. A time to let loose the wildness within everyone. A time where a smile represents genuine happiness, not masking the actual torrent of emotions underneath. To laugh like no one’s listening, to dance like no one’s watching…
Summer is memories. To capture those moments that cannot be revisited physically, but always openly with the mind. A memory of happiness to assure us there is good in the world. Sadness to show how some good things come to an end. Surprise at the hidden wonders of life, grief so that we realise how hidden wonders sometimes burden us. Such snapshots of a person’s life can be taken with a camera, but it is better to do so with the heart.
Summer is relief. A chance for repose and relaxation before the expectations and troubles of next year kick in. At this stage, as I enter year 12, some will realise that now is the time to finally grow up. Others will change, for the better or worse. Me? I’m filled with a sense of longing for time to stop momentarily, for the world to be timeless. I want to hold all these moments in my hand, preventing their escape. This is my last summer before adulthood, before the joyful times of my youth are gone.
Next year is our HSC year. Who knows what that’ll bring? But right now, right here, the six of us gaze up into the sky enjoying our last summer like a last, sweet treat.