Ring Around the moon

It must be two in the morning as I head back to the house, hopeful that the noise has dropped to a level that will allow me to sleep in peace. I creep beneath campus street lamps, enjoying the stiff wind that whips towards me, picking up speed as it rolls down into the valley, finally filling my red puffy jacket like a red balloon. Avoiding the sidewalk I take to the street, almost hopeful that a pair of headlights will appear over the horizon and send me scurrying back to the curb, breaking the monotony of step after soundless step. My gaze rakes the ground, watching for dark icy patches. I have already come close to falling twice, catching myself at the last moment by gyrating my hips against my momentum to save myself from landing flat on my ass.

As I stare into the road the cloud bank breaks and a soft yellow light seeps through the shadows, leaving the night drenched in the muted glow of moon mist. I glance up into the full round orb above and notice that tonight it is not alone. A ghostly halo surrounds it, perfectly round and huge, dwarfing the moon in its vastness. My focus remains upward as I search for explanations for this phenomenon, but my mind, numbed by cold and the need for sleep surrenders, leaving me content to let the moment enthrall me with its ephemeral beauty. The minutes pass unchecked with the entire valley frozen under the moon’s mournful gaze, lost in a state of perpetual slumber. I stand hypnotized, not sure whether to share my discovery or keep it close to heart, fearful that if I turn away the nights spell will be broken and the moon will disappear once more into the blackness. My decision is made for me however as another cloud passes and I am left once more alone. I walk on, not entirely sure if what I saw was real or in truth a dream.