Summer evening's sky.

Magnificent paintings over a glass-like pond.

Blended colors of blue, violet, and orange reflected off like a mirror.

Flickering of fireflies sifted out.

Lush, vegetative forests surrounded water's edge.

Red bike, rust flakes twirling through the air behind me.

I rode.

Warm, humid evening air breezed through.

A hint of nearby fish and mud.

Parked and dismounted, my bike.

Plastic yellow sand pail and I walked to a favorite place.

My mind slipped, into steady routine.

Past experiences, memories, and visits of the pond.

Off with the plastic helmet.

      Off with with my threadbare tennis shoes.

               Off with grape juice stained socks.

Sauntering over to the waters edge.

Toes feeling dew on each and every grass blade.

                            ***

Dark green and biege.

Sitting near a muddle of slime, water, and bog.

Amphibian.

Large for its size.

Kneeling 'till dirt and moss clung to my knees.

Shadow hung over the frog.

            Silent.

            Pail down.

            Ready.

Hands splashed into cool water.

scooped up the animal, mud and all.

Quickly, it reacted.

       Squirming.

            Withering.

                 Trying to free itself from my cage.

Hand clamped down even harder.

A webbed foot stuck out.

Beady slimy face.

Opening of its mouth.

Suddenly...

"EAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Noise emanating across the pond into the forest.

several birds flew out of their tree's, cawing angry retorts.

A splash.

    A ripple.

I had thrown the flailing frog.

It's mouth still screaming.

It's gizzard blown up.

It's legs flying about.

Landing with a splat, the animal landed on its back.

And stayed.

     And stayed.

          And stayed.

Emotions came.

I packed;

my pail,

       socks,

         shoes,

             helmet.

Turning up the hill, across, and to my house.

I never went back to the pond.