A herd of clouds traverse across the sky, illuminated from behind by the setting sun. Their scattered silhouettes carve shadows of figures from ancient cave paintings into the multicolored heavens. A band of crimson hugs the roofs of the houses and the tops of trees, fading into a jade green and then finally a darker periwinkle. Rays of the sun’s last light pierce through the clouds, gleaming a warm white against the varicolored sky. The golden orb glows like the lure of a deep sea creature and trembles, the movement of the clouds causing it to look as though it is flaming and alive. Under the sunset, cars pass by with their dim headlights, and the windows of houses are a faint, cozy yellow, but when I focus on the sunset, everything else fades to black.

Bored of my homework, I looked out the window into the backyard. My chickens were still pecking at the dirt, and everything looked normal. Then I saw bits of the sunset filtering through the towering oak tree. After taking one look, I knew I had to take a picture and capture this particular evening sky forever. Leaping from my desk, I grabbed my phone and dashed out of the garage in only my white, short-sleeved polo shirt and a navy skort, not stopping to put on my shoes. Standing on our driveway, I took one picture and decided that the telephone poles were blocking the view. Like an anglerfish, the sunset pulled me along. My white socks slapped against the cement and blackened with each asphalt street that I crossed. Pebbles and leaves jabbed at my feet. I stopped to catch my breath. A brown pitbull nuzzled his way through white curtains in the window of the house across from me, staring curiously at me, for I was the only person in our neighborhood outside at the time. I grinned and wiggled my fingers at the dog, giddy and flushed from the running, then turned away and raised my phone up to capture the sunset. However, the roof of a house was in the way, so I continued to run through the streets, invigorated by the cool wind on this evening in the late summer. Each breath I took filled my lungs with a clean, fresh scent of exhilaration. At last, I paused on a tree-lined sidewalk next to a house with last year’s Christmas lights still hanging from the eaves and took a final picture of the evening sky, drinking in the sight like ambrosia, allowing the magnificence of the sunset to sink in. Sighing contentedly, I reflected on my spur-of-the-moment decision and the freedom it had given me, then reminded myself to follow through with more of my spontaneous ideas in the future.
That was one of the only times I have ever been outside of my house and walking around by myself. The freedom and spontaneity of this ordeal kept it lodged in my mind more than just the beauty of the sunset. It was an impulsive decision that I had made, but it was one that I made myself and most certainly do not regret, although that pair of socks was never quite as white again. The cold of the air and the annoyance of the rough ground underneath me simply provided more concrete memories of my adventure, etching the experience deeper into my mind. Even with the pebbles and twigs, I felt like I was flying throughout my whole escapade. In addition, I was not caught upon my return, even though I had spent so much time running through those three blocks to chase down the setting sun.