Escaping Paradise

Chapter 1

Maya grew tired of the living where the seasons don't change. Florida is iconic for paradise living, but there is something unfulfilling about living in a beautiful place with no excitement.

The neighbors were nice enough. She would stop by and spend time listening to life stories, usually over a cup of coffee or a cold beer. Dennis was her favorite, a 67 year old man who could always spice up something so ordinary into a story that was cinema worthy. She enjoyed his stories, giggling because she knew he would always be the hero in all his tales. He often sat outside his apartment with a serene look on his face, eyes stormy blue like the ocean he choose to spend his last years next to. No doubt he lived a full life, but Maya could tell he exaggerated certain truths. She enjoyed his narrative regardless, and cared for him dearly.

Local people were kind, but the age difference wasn't stimulating for the mind of a 22 year old woman itching for new experiences.

This morning Maya woke to the sound of her phone alarm as usual, opened her eyes and took a few moments to admire the shadows of palm leaves dancing on her bedroom wall while she sat on the edge of her mattress.

"Morning light is so hopeful..." She thought.

Her small apartment was just enough for her. A two story, modest apartment building capable of housing four occupants. Dennis shared the second story with her so it was perfect to step out and be in his company when he was sitting outside his own apartment. There was also one neighbor downstairs, a middle aged woman who kept to herself but was friendly enough. Lauren was her name, and she cared for her young son, probably pre-teen, on and off. Maya would see the boy come in and out of the car to their apartment but rarely outside on his own.

It was a modest and pleasant place to live. A few brand new family homes between them and the beach, so often times she didn't even need to wear shoes to walk over for a few hours. The building itself was a light aqua color, not surprisingly a florida theme. White painted doors and metal stairs that went up either side of the building. Dennis and Maya wrapped colorful Christmas lights around the second floor railing and turned them on for special occasions or to create an ambiance for company.

Maya stood up from the bed and chugged down the glass of water she left for herself in the morning. Even though is was mid november, the temperature was high 85 and low 78, so iced coffee it is. The bar and grill where Maya works is a few blocks down the road and across the street. It's a Saturday morning but today she opens up the bar for brunch. She opens her fridge to grab her iced coffee and soymilk and pauses mid reach, contemplating adding a dash of Jameson to her coffee.

"Mmm, too early before my shift... but I'm sure Dennis wouldn't mind sharing a shot when I get back." She decided as she closed her fridge. Last time she indulged in an irish coffee before work, it kept her social but the effect crashed hours before she had to clock out. Better to wait.

Waking up a few hours before her 10am shift gave her the time to sit and enjoy her coffee, put on some makeup, and think about the endless possibilities of where she would end up next in life. She would often imagine travelling to state parks in california, or staying in a cabin by the tennessee mountains. Somewhere where she could feel the seasons change. When she felt the temperature drop, just briefly, she felt a familiar ache in her chest wishing the winds would magically take her exactly where she needed to be. Change was important to Maya, but as she readied herself for the brunch shift she brushed aside the thought. Saving money was a good enough excuse for the time being as well as intelligent, Dennis would remind her. But somehow she knew she would always find a way to live, and not just survive. There is more to life than being making money and being too cautious along the way. She was almost ready to leap, but how and in what direction was a question she longed to be shown somehow.