It had been something of a rough day at the studio. There was a run for Senior class pictures in the afternoon as the local high schools would soon be out for the year. Phelan had managed to hire an office aid but he wasn’t sure the woman entirely knew what she was doing. They managed to get through the day nonetheless but it was pure chaos and as a result he was totally on edge. He needed to unwind and so he set up an easel in the local park bordering the woods and drew out a canvas and palette from a case off to the side and set the latter down.

The sun was slowly sinking into the horizon and the yellows, oranges, pinks, and even shadowy purples created a breathlessly beautiful scene. Drawing a bit of charcoal from his case he began a preliminary sketch on the canvas before him - the basis of the painting, the skeleton upon which everything would rest.

A light breeze blew, stirring his dark hair and a breath later the lamps awoke to the descending sun. The semi-darkness never bothered Phelan. In fact, in many cases he preferred it to bright lights.

Bright lights. Flash bulbs.

He winced with the reminder and shook it off to immerse himself in the piece before him. Time slipped silently by as one line joined another and before long he had the basis for the woods beneath the sinking sun. When he was at last satisfied with what he had he dropped the charcoal on the easel ledge and took up the palette once more.

The trees were born first in all their gray-green glory and mixed beneath and between their bark skirts grass and shrubbery exploded into existence with colors that were softly muted in the fading light.

He was finally starting to relax. Finally starting to feel more like himself...