A Summer Day

It was a hot summer day. The water in the lake shone like molten mirror. No longer was the sun bringing smiles to our faces. Instead, it glared angrily at every living being beneath its unrelenting rays. The leaves had started tumbling to the ground leaving its branches bare. Weeds and grass had long lost their lush green appearance and seemed to be waiting silently for the merciless sun to ignite them. The winds almost came to a halt. Even the birds fell silent as if it was too hot for them to move. The pathetic shade of an umbrella did no further good and lesser mortals preferred staying indoors to avoid getting roasted. 

A simple stroll on the streets left beads of sweat on the forehead like the dawn grass. There was a fragrance in the air, a distinctive aroma of summer flowers that bloomed and danced merrily even in this fiery heat. Alongside the roads, in shade of the houses, kids drew squares on crumbling streets with white chalk and joyously played hopscotch. A distant cry of ice cream seller can be heard intermittently. It became more distinct as he approached a more densely populated locality. The only sigh of relief was the protective canopy of trees although heat still lingered in its shade. 

As the sun sunk lower in the sky, the shadows of trees became twice as along as themselves. The cool breeze started blowing again, caressing the perspiring skin. The shade is a luxury after the summer heat.