Seeking Old Stimuli Solo

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Date: 15/09/21 Time: 4:25 Pm Weather: Cloudy, 9°C

The sun was shining somewhere, but a blanket of grey cloud was determined to ensure that it did not shine on the grounds of Hogwarts. So while the grounds were well lit by whatever light managed to creep through, it wasn't particularly warm. This didn't seem to bother the first year who was making his way down from the castle onto the grounds.

Colin's feet carried him away from the castle without thought, as if moving on instinct. He did not know where he planned to go, nor did he know why he was going; He had only been sitting in the common room, attempting to focus on his homework, when some desire to escape that had been gradually building over the past two weeks had finally overwhelmed him.

Living in a castle, A god damn castle, with wizards who fly on broomsticks and ghosts and talking portraits and magic lessons and feasts - To most it would seem amazing, no? Some brilliant fantasy, a dream. But Colin couldn't help but feel... lost.
Not in the sense that he couldn't find his way; While he had struggled to get from place to place at first, he had soon managed to memorise some of (what were in his mind) the simplest routes between classes, the grand hall, and his common room - Most of which avoided the moving staircase in favour of some winding route that took quite a bit longer. However there was less chance of him getting lost without using those ridiculous living stairs ("Moving stairs, bloody... inane, impractical, stupid" He grumbled under his breath, struggling to voice his frustration.)

No, Colin's sense of disorientation came from some horrid sense of agoraphobia that had slowly developed over these short few weeks, which had slowly stewed into a need to escape. He simply didn't understand the....
Well, he didn't understand most things in this god-forsaken place, and perhaps that's what worried him so. Not to mention that he was constantly stuck in the middle of a crowd of - of freaks - with all their magic wands, flying broomsticks, silly sports, weird food...
"Who even likes pumpkin juice?!" He asked aloud, to nobody in particular.

His head was now raised, staring out at the landscape before him. He stopped walking, taking in the view. His wandering had brought him to some secluded corner of the grounds, a thin, ambling path that meandered between a few trees, rising slightly as it grew closer to the thicket that was the forbidden forest. A light coating of dying pine needles lined the edges of the rough ground, and a few rocks lined the left side of the path. Facing to the south-west, one was given a view of the Great Lake, the body of water lying still.

It was all so...familiar.

Colin sighed, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. His eyes remained fixed on the calm waters of the lake. He edged his way over to one of the rocks beside the path, taking a seat. He smiled, a sense of bitter nostalgia washing over him, as he took a deep breath of the clean, cool air.
Perhaps he could just stay out here for a while.

Reducio

The outskirts of Donard Forest - Newcastle, County Down.
05/06/2018

"Are we nearly there yet?" Colin whined, sitting down on a rock and reaching into his bag. He pulled out a bottle of water, followed by a bar of chocolate, which he quickly unwrapped and began to eat.
"Seriously?" Colin's father, Connor, a large man with a thick Derry accent which Colin himself had not seemed to inherit, was a few paces behind Colin. He stopped once he had reached the other, looking down at him. "We've only been walking for - " he checked his watch, "- 20 minutes. We're not even at the saddle yet."
Connor pointed to the high piece of land ahead of them, connecting Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh. From Colin's current vantage point, they looked so far away - The last ascent up to the saddle was so steep that it appeared vertical, and once that was conquered they'd still have to take the final fight up to the peak of Slieve Donard.

"But... I'm already tired-" Colin sighed.
"Tired?" Connor laughed again, shaking his head.
"We've barely started.... and the climb's going to get a lot harder." Connor looked back the way they had came, pointing to direct Colin's attention towards it.
The water of Dundrum Bay was visible over the trees of Donard forest. From this distance, waves that seemed so big up close appeared as little more than small wrinkles in the great blue velvet expanse that lay in view.
"When we're at the peak, you'll be even more tired. But the view will be worth it. You'll see Newcastle, the promenade, all of Dundrum bay. You'll see the fields, the roads, tiny cars. You'll be able to see over the rest of the Mournes. You should be able to see Cave Hill, too."
Connor pointed to the right, to a horizon hidden behind the crest of a hill they had not yet risen beyond.
"The Isle of Man will be visible, too. Faintly, that is, but you'll be able to see it's silhouette.
And you'll look down, and you'll see how small it all is."

Connor sighed, then smiled. His face bore an expression of something Colin didn't quite recognise. Connor cleared his throat.
"The point is, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. But it will get better, and the view will be worth the effort."
Colin put his water back into his pack, slowly rising. He took one last breath, before turning, ready to follow his father up to the peak.