The Color of April

I walked and they were behind me. I didn't even realize they were following me at first. I was just walking and suddenly I heard someone stomping in time with my feet just behind me. Then, I heard an amused giggle. This is a game. I sped up my walking and they followed suit just as I'd expected. Then, they started to stomp between each step. Step. Step. Stomp. Step. Step. Stomp. I copied. I sped up. They copied. They skipped I copied. I ran. They copied. We weren't even speaking but I felt as though we were having some kind of conversation. It was a conversation of nonsense that we alone could hear. They almost passed me. Then, I picked up speed. I'm in front. They're in front. I'm in front. They're in front. We see the top of the hill. A finish line. Neither managing to outrun the other, we explode over the top of the hill and nearly lose our balance on the steep decline. For a moment, I am airborne and I can see the rest of the street and the houses in the distance. I've lived in this town my whole life, but it's never looked this beautiful. The sun is shining and everything is alive. Spring is here and it brought color with it. We fall to the ground and laugh. We are laughing so hard but I'm glad to see that their eyes are wet, too.