Uncharted Territory

Kelly Esparza

photo credit: Kelly Esparza

I was drawn to a place I’d never been to before. It was like a secret that I’d stumbled upon—one that was special and all mine. I’d first discovered my new “spot” on a run a few days ago. A desire to change my regular route, I jogged down a peaceful, desolate residential area and thought, Hopefully I don’t get lost.

I got lost. But I knew I’d find my way back as always. And I did.

Tall, elegant houses, decorated ornately with Christmas lights, lined both sides of the street. A string of cars were parked along the curb as I whizzed past them on the sidewalk. I stopped when the concrete turned into a darkly paved bike trail to the right and left of me. Taking a left, the trees welcomed me, their leaves scattering the trail like rose petals. I walked until I reached a small park that left me breathless.

“Whoa,” I whispered, fully taking in the sight. Before me stood a medium-sized pond. I could just barely make out little houses and trees extending beyond the perimeter. A family of ducks gathered along the water, quacking softly to each other. Just before the pond sat a small wooden bench on the gravel with two trees behind it, curved inward, like they were framing a photograph. A couple walking a labradoodle trudged along the bike trail in the distance. A kid on a bike rode to the right of me along a wooden bridge and disappeared around the corner of another gravely trail. I’d explore that route another day and discover it led to a small cliff that overlooked tall grass and nearly bare trees.  

It was strange. All my life I’d lived in this same town, and never had I once seen this place. It was then that I could imagine myself coming back here in the spring or the summer, sitting on the grass with my laptop, writing and letting go of the day.

Today I went back to the park with the pond and the ducks. As I walked along the unknown-but-now-seemingly-familiar bike trail, two boys, who looked like they were probably brothers, rode past me on silver scooters. The younger one grinned and waved at me. I broke into a smile and returned the gesture. The air was crisp, the clouds shielding the sun, preparing themselves for a seasonal shower. The soft humidity brought out the curls in my long brown hair, and I hugged my fuzzy vest tighter against me as the breeze picked up.

Taylor Swift’s new album played on repeat in my earbuds as I circled the pond and walked across the bridge. I stopped for a moment, closed my eyes, and took a breath. I was alone, but I didn’t feel lonely. I was at peace, and I let go of any stress I felt from today. This pond, this place, was magical. It was like my own little hiding spot, a treasure I’d discovered when I’d made the choice to take a risk and try something new. And it was this thought that made me never want to leave.

Kelly Esparza is a graduate from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Creative Writing. She is the author of The World as Seen Through My Eyes (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2019) and the co-author of Out of This World! (Make Way for Books, 2020). Her work has also appeared in Dwelling Literary, 433 Magazine, and The Mark Literary Review. @Kelly_Esparza7