Ding!

          Brandon Henriksson pulled the cord of the 255 Dundarave bus. He rose to his feet, maneuvering himself past an elderly senior, who held their wooden cane in hand. Brandon balanced himself down the aisle as the bus slowly came to a stop right before Capilano River. His palm pressed up against the glass, signalling for the back door to open. Brandon didn't say thank you as he exited the bus. Not because he was a rude, arrogant person, but because he was lost in his joyful thoughts.

          The bus took off behind him. Brandon adjusted the position of his Nikon camera hanging around his neck. This was Brandon's passion—photography. He'd been doing it for years. In fact, Brandon attended a high-level photography class downtown. This upcoming Saturday night was their monthly presentation, where students were required to take photos and present them to the class. And what better place to go than the majestic bridge?

          Brandon couldn't wait. He promised to make the most of every moment up there. 

          After cutting across the Marine Drive overpass, he carried himself towards the west span of the bridge. To his left, lanes of cars slowly lined up—most of the drivers pulling down their windows to comfort themselves from the heat of the July summer day. The green bridge was just so enchanting. This long, narrow walkway, perhaps leading to something so glorious beyond the concealing view, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

          Brandon proudly marched forward, excitement pounding in his chest to show his photographic talents. The bridge ever so slightly wobbled from the weight of the cars. The eighteen-year-old cradled his camera, his spare hand atop the forest-green safety rail. While simultaneously pushing forward, Brandon let his hand slide upon the cool steel, as a small track of dirt now lay upon his fingertips.

          An older man passed Brandon along the walkway.

          He asked the teenager, "How ya doin'?" He had to raise his voice slightly, due to the noise of the travelling cars.

          "Great, and you?" Brandon replied, smiling.

          The man gave a smile back, making his way down the bridge, leaving Brandon to continue his journey. 

          The bridge elevation slowly increased with each confident stride Brandon took. Below him were sets of rusty train tracks, joined by countless locomotives attached to one another.

          Eventually, Brandon stood in the centre of the long, massively-tall bridge. Enormous green pillars towered above him on each side, like an ancient castle. Brandon had to stretch his neck back to see the top of the southern pillar, to the point a gentle stretch was felt in his neck. Wow...fucking incredible, he thought to himself, wondering how long it must have taken to build such a stunning landmark.

          Brandon quickly embraced the breezy wind; it felt so calming. His chocolate-brown hair pushed back upon his scalp, creating soothing sensations of pleasure across his face. Brandon's entire body felt like it was being gently massaged. He was like Leonardo DiCaprio standing at the front of the Titanic. I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD! He was tempted to shout those very words right there, but decided to keep his excitement to himself.

          Nonetheless, Brandon needed to get down to business. He first wanted to capture the ocean waters far down below. He observed them as calm, gentle waves pushed over one another. Brandon raised the camera, his left eye squinting, his right eye peeking through the lens. He aimed out in the direction of Ambleside Beach, a beautiful spot for individuals and families to spend time. Brandon cropped the shot—one half on the beach—the other half picking up the mystifying waters.

          Snap!

          Still sensing the basking wind, Brandon admired his photo through the screen on the camera. The lighting had turned out wonderful, capturing the gorgeous waters in a transcendent way.

          Brandon continued to admire the clouds and sky. The way they blended in together looked so fucking surreal, like a gifted painter mixing different colours together.

          And within those beautiful colours, down by the tall, northern bridge pillar, was now a young couple. They looked so happy together—a staggering lust of devotion surrounding their presence. The guy stood behind his presumed girlfriend, his arms wrapped tightly around her like a snake coiling its prey. The warm sun shined down upon them as they looked out at the scenic view together. With the girl's head tilted back at times, they stared deeply into each others' eyes. The pair kissed one another as the wind blew over them.

          Woah, Brandon thought to himself, trying not to get spotted as he discreetly aimed the camera towards them with innocent intentions. Brandon wasn't even the romantic type, but not even he could deny this was yet another gorgeous sight. He felt really happy for whoever they were. You could just feel the electricity of love flowing between them, accompanied by the bridge and its dreamy atmosphere. Brandon's finger pushed down on the shutter-release button one last time.

          Snap!