My Place

• Levi Button, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2022

My place is beautiful: a garden, a lake and a simple cottage tucked out of sight by a forest.
My cottage sits in the otherwise empty grove, the wildlife and the crackling sound of a fire the only sounds in the otherwise silent world. The garden is hidden by silvery-iron gates and a worn brick wall that stands at least two feet tall. It is green, beautiful - and blissfully silent. I love just sitting on the old stone bench in my garden of peace.
The lake is the only outlier - as beautiful as it is, it hides a dark secret. Beyond the lake, another island sits in the centre. I don’t go to that island, as it no longer belongs to me. Well, sort of… It belongs to the memories I keep hidden and caged up on that island. I can only reach it if I walk under the deep purple waves of my lake. Under the waves, it’s all noise: crying, screaming…fighting. But, as I said, I don’t go there. I’m happy in my silent, peaceful place; and I don’t want anything else corrupting my place…not again, at least.