Aaron rolled his shoulders and rubbed at his tired eyes as he stepped out of the lecture hall for the final time that year. The exam had taken more than three hours, and he wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep for an entire twenty-four-hour span. Despite his exhaustion, relief was beginning to set in, though he still had the walk home to contend with.
He looked down to ensure his long coat was fastened, then steeled himself to step out into the chill winter evening. Just after five o'clock and it was already dark out, which meant any meager warmth the sun would have provided was also absent. The icy wind carried the shouts and laughter of some of the other students, those who had friends to celebrate alongside. Aaron had a friend here or there, but they had all finished their finals already and were headed home for winter break. So, he was looking forward to a month of solitude. It was no matter, really; he had enough projects to keep hismelf busy.
Head down against the wind, Aaron began to walk quickly, coat flapping around his shins. He would have run, but it was too dark to do so safely, and he feared patches of black ice from their last spill of winter weather. He moved down the paved sidewalks which had once been cobblestone roads, passing buildings centuries old that had been renovated to fit the needs of a modern university. It still had the look of an old castle in many ways, which Aaron had always found fascinating, but at present he didn't even spare a glance at the primarily stone structures. He could make it home in ten minutes at a brisk walk, and he didn't wish to extend that any farther.
He looked down to ensure his long coat was fastened, then steeled himself to step out into the chill winter evening. Just after five o'clock and it was already dark out, which meant any meager warmth the sun would have provided was also absent. The icy wind carried the shouts and laughter of some of the other students, those who had friends to celebrate alongside. Aaron had a friend here or there, but they had all finished their finals already and were headed home for winter break. So, he was looking forward to a month of solitude. It was no matter, really; he had enough projects to keep hismelf busy.
Head down against the wind, Aaron began to walk quickly, coat flapping around his shins. He would have run, but it was too dark to do so safely, and he feared patches of black ice from their last spill of winter weather. He moved down the paved sidewalks which had once been cobblestone roads, passing buildings centuries old that had been renovated to fit the needs of a modern university. It still had the look of an old castle in many ways, which Aaron had always found fascinating, but at present he didn't even spare a glance at the primarily stone structures. He could make it home in ten minutes at a brisk walk, and he didn't wish to extend that any farther.