Water

She swung the bow of the canoe around so it pointed towards the middle of the lake, and began paddling. She loved it at this time of night. The air still warm from the sun, the water still as a mirror, the silence of the forest all around her. Tree frogs chirupped in the background, and occasionally she could hear the splash of something entering the water. The sky was that inky blue of dusk, and a few stars were beginning to poke through. Sunset was fading into darkness - the deep reds fading into purple night. The swish of her paddle cutting through the water calmed her, brought peace to her soul. In the distance, she could see the lights coming on in some of the cabins around the lake.

She was near the centre now, so she stopped paddling and sat drifting. A loon called out as it flew over head, it's haunting call echoing in the stillness. A tiny breeze stirred up a few ripples on the surface, and they lapped against the canoe. She slid down until she was sitting on the bottom, and lay back, looking up at the stars, searching for the patterns her father had taught her. Casseopia jumped out at her, and she followed it along to the North Star, then across to the Big Dipper. Then she found the ones she'd made her own names for; the Tent, the Starship and others.

The cold began to creep in, and she shivered as she sat up and began to paddle towards shore. A leaf floated down and landed in front of her. Her stroke sent it swirling off in a tiny whirlpool. She followed the shoreline back to her dock, and hauled the canoe out of the water. A few mosquitoes buzzed around her legs, but she ignored them. She walked up to the shed to store her paddle, stepping lightly on the stone path. Her bare feet left wet footprints behind her. She wasn't really ready to go in - the night was so perfect right now. But she needed a sweater and a cup of tea. She walked up to the house, deciding to drink her tea down on the dock and watch the moon rise over the treetops.