Ashley was the new girl in town. She had just moved to North Creek, NY, a small town with very little in it.
Main Street in North Creek was quite bare. There was Barley & Noxon Hardware Store, Café Sara, barVino, the Community Bank, Rite Aid, Marsha’s, and The Alpine Lodge. There was also a small strip mall, which had three stores: a liquor store, a ski shop, and a grocery. Most restaurants went under fast.
Johnsburg Central School was the K-12 school. It was tiny in comparison to Ashley’s old school. Each grade had less than seventy students, many who came from the surrounding towns.
With the hot summer breeze on her face Ashley realized something. It was quiet. Ashley was used to the hustle and bustle of a big city and had never truly experienced before. The silence seemed eerie and chilling.
She missed her friends from back in her old town. She never realized before how much she needed them. Now though, being so long without them, she was starting to feel the strain of loneliness.
To pass the days she sat in her room listening to music at a very loud volume. She would read, write, paint, and draw also. She didn’t leave her house for two weeks.
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Aaron was a quiet boy. He kept to himself. Having little friends, he had found many ways to entertain himself. He would work out, build, make woodcarvings, listen to music, and read. He loved to read. In fact that is how he enters this story. Reading.
Aaron was sitting on the front porch reading a book from the light shining out through the windows. He loved the open night sky. All the stars above his head like art, a painted story across its black canvas, ready for him to admire. The solitude of the night gave him comfort; there was no better time to think.
Ashley burst from the house across the street. Aaron jumped up from his seat, into the shadows. No one had ever come outside during one of his lengthy stays on his front porch. She fell onto her knees on her lawn and screamed. Creeping forward quietly, he left his porch and slipped onto the lawn. He wondered want was wrong with her that she would scream that way. It was a scream that radiated agony. It pierced his heart.
As he got nearer to the street he saw tears upon her cheek. Was she crying? What happened? He had never seen her around here before.
Aaron went to hide behind a bush, but a stick broke under his foot.
Ashley froze. Someone is out here! Watching me! She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Who is there,” she asks? There is no response. “Who is there,” she screamed, that same piercing scream!
Stepping out from behind the bush, Aaron shocked even himself.
Ashley just gawked at him. She had known someone was there, but there was a difference between knowing and seeing. She couldn’t even speak from shock.
“Hi,” Aaron mumbled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you or watch you at all for that matter.” Ashley still said nothing. “Honestly I’m telling the truth,” Aaron said again. “I was just reading on my front porch,” he pointed to his house, “when you came out. I was just curious as to why you were so sad.”
Finally recovering her tongue Ashley stopped his nervous rant.
“It’s ok. I understand. I would want to know too if I was you.” She looked at the ground. “I’m new here,” Ashley told him. “I don’t much like it here. Its really boring and empty and god awful quiet.”
“Well it is a small town,” Aaron replied. “I take it you’re from a big city?”
“New York City.”
“Yes that is a big one.” A grin appeared at the edge of Ashley’s lips. “It just takes some adapting and a friend always helps.” Aaron held out his hand, but Ashley pushed it out of the way and flung herself at him. He was startled by the hug but embraced her just the same.
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After that Ashley had one friend in North Creek and that was enough. The town didn’t seem as small and eerie. They spent every last minute together. Together they could always find something fun to do.

Ashley didn’t miss the city anymore. Aaron showed her the beauty of the great outdoors and the ‘hustle and bustle’ of nature. Showed her that she didn’t need 50 friends to be happy. And he helped her to understand that ‘you have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.’