Reading The Shadows {Mini Stories}

The Blurry Ones

Click.

Click.

I looked through the camera hole and pressed the button when I saw something I found of interest. We were at a party and I had found a disposable camera. I took pictures of pretty balloons and decorations, my little brother's eyes, and a lot of people's feet as I was only six and couldn't reach faces easily.

The party had begun to slow to an end, fewer people were dancing and most of the cake was gone. Mother had finally said it was time to go but I knew I had more time since she would definitely get caught talking to someone. I hopped back on the old lady's lap who apparently was there when I was born, I don't know. My little brother sat in the chair next to me eating most of the candy on the table while I continued taking pictures of literally everything.

After what I would guess to be thirty minutes, mother came back and picked me and my brother up and went on her way to the door. She stopped a few times but we actually made it. Along the way she had made me leave the camera because apparently, it was someone else's and not mine just cause I found it. Which I must say was ridiculous, but I left it anyway

Days later.

I was minding my own business watching cartoons and eating my yummy cereal with choccy milk when the doorbell rang and the dog started barking. Mom was in the shower so the responsibility was left to me, even though she said to never answer the door without her... eh. I pulled a chair to the door and looked out the super spy hole. Oh, it's one of the ladies from the party. She's okay cause she snuck me a second slice of cake when mom said no.

I hop down from the chair and move it away to open the door.

"Hiiiiieeee," She says as if I was a baby like my brother. Filled with disgust I walk back to my cartoons and choccy milk cereal, leaving the door open

"W-where is your mother?" she asked with worry.

"Bathroom" I simply answer

"Oh," She walks to the bathroom door and knocks while saying who she is and that I let her in. She then sits next to me on the couch with pictures in hand. She hands them to me. I notice the pictures are ones I've seen before.

"These are the pictures you took at the party. I thought I would bring them to you so you could have them."

I didn't reply, just stared at the photos. I liked them, they were like when you pause a movie and see all the cartoon characters frozen, but better cause it was real.

After mom got out of the shower I showed her the pictures and her and the lady talked for a while before she left.

But from that moment on I was stuck. Stuck on photos. Stuck on capturing moments in time and keeping them forever.

I still have those photos of people's feet, my brother's face unnecessarily close, and of the sparkly decorations, but they've been added to a big collection of other photos from over the years. Some say my newest ones are the best, but I say the oldest ones are better. The ones with horrible lighting and too much noise.