The afternoon had slipped away from me without my notice. The sun was descending lazily behind the trees, and the sky, once blue, now painted itself in reddish and violet hues that seemed to set the tranquil surface of the lake ablaze. The cool air slipped between the branches and brushed against my skin, clearing my head just a little. Even so, the lightness in my head gave me away: everything moved slower, as if the world had decided to play at confusing me. I wasn't completely drunk, not to the point of losing myself in a void without consciousness, but enough to feel that trembling tingle in my body, that warmth that softens smiles and stealthily breaks down defenses.
"It's time for me to head back," I murmured, trying to sound firm as I stood up. The ground seemed less stable than I remembered, and clumsiness accompanied me until I managed to fit my feet into my boots.
