The engine of Lyse's car sputtered to a halt, the sudden silence amplifying the desolate quiet of the secluded environment. She had been driving for hours with no direction in mind, a mindless escape from the chaos that had become her life. The winding roads had led her to this isolated spot that she had not been to in a long time, a place far removed from the city, where the only sounds were the gentle lapping of water against the shore and the rustling of leaves in the evening breeze.
She stepped out of the car and pulled off her shoes, the cool night air a stark contrast to the stifling heat of her emotions. The pond, reflecting the twilight sky, seemed to stretch into infinity, a dark, shimmering mirror reflecting her own inner turmoil. She sat down at its edge, slipped her feet into the cool waters, picked up a handful of smooth, grey stones and began to toss them into the water, watching the ripples spread and fade, a metaphor for the way her life had been disrupted.
