Birds Of A Feather

Violette

Monday, September 30th

"The leaves are changing colors, the air smells crisp, and the sun shows its face a little earlier than usual. The world is going hazel and your honey-filled eyes are all that's missing. I miss you, my love, my heart yearns for you despite its knowledge of your departure. My Scarlett."  

I place my right hand on the ground beside my knee to give me some balance as I get up from it. The air is cold and the grass—wet. The water hasn't dried since I last watered the flowers around her grave. She had been through nothing short of everything right by my side. My cozy ball of fiery fur, I hope you are purring your days away in your newfound home in the skies.

I rub the dirt off my cold and pale knees before walking inside. My cottage is surrounded by a vine-filled, wooden fence which has orange and yellow poppy bushes planted along the side of it. It has a round roof with brown wooden shingles, and the walls are painted cream. Walking in through the back door, I'm greeted by my cozy reading nook to the right, my living room directly in front, and my kitchen to the left side. I planned out how I wanted my house to look since I was 16 and met up with my best friend to talk about our futures. We used to imagine being roommates and we'd make up stories about our careers as small shop owners. I wonder what's become of her.

"Another day, another chance." I sigh.

Another chance to finally finish reading this damn book. I don't know why but I've always enjoyed reading. The thought of, climbing into a life that isn't my own fills me with peace, even if it isn't the most serene story—at least it isn't mine. 

I walk over to my desk and pick up the damned book titled "Pride and Prejudice." "UGH why do you have to be so long?!—hehe that's what she said" I chuckled.

What's that thing Friedrich Nietzsche said? "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking." Well, time to put that one to the test shall we?

I grab my black jean jacket and head out to my garden.

I live away from the city—my cottage is small and tucked away in the forest right outside Neviah's boundaries. Leading out from my garden, a short dirt path connects to a wooden bridge that sits over Lake Lumina. It's called Lumina because of its abundance of bioluminescent algae, but I like to think it's because the trees aren't large enough to block the stars' reflection on the sedated waters at night.

Beyond the bridge stands a tall willow tree. Its branches hang over a small patch of sand that reaches into the water. I've always loved this spot for reading—it looks like something made from an artist's hand. The leaves cry into the shallow waters, kissed by September's cool breeze and made lively by dawn's sunrise glow. Looking up to the very top from the roots of it, I notice the small bits of light peeking through the gaps between the branches and can almost feel each of them pouring onto me. 

The touch of a million warm and golden droplets embraces me as I sit underneath this impossibly perfect haven.

Laughter resonates as I remember him running through those paddy fields.

"Come on Cole! Keep up!" I yelled. His bright eyes shone like the sun in mid-July, and his auburn hair fluttered in the wind like tall grass on a windy day.

"Wait for me!" he yelled out from behind.

I still remember the astral patterns on his face made of tiny brown specks, burning through his rosy cheeks.

"Slowpoke! You should come out more often! Maybe then you'd be able to conjure up some strength to run at least as fast as me! You'll never make it like this!"

"Oh yeah?!" he yelled out. "Just you wait long legs! I'll make it on the team! You'll see! Then you'll have to swallow your words! You'll see!"

How I miss you little duck.

"Mom? Is he okay?" I still remember her evil gaze upon me as if it were my fault. "NO! NO, YOU'RE LYING! Don't believe them, Cole! You'll run again! You'll see!"

He was 10.

"Hello?" a young voice breaks through my rumination.

"Cole?" I answer quickly as I look behind me... it wasn't him. "Oh—hello," I said.

"Hi, um—I was here with my friends, but they left and I don't know how to go back to the city." 

Poor thing must be scared.

"Come on, I'll show you the way," I said. "And let's stop for something sweet. I haven't had any strawberry ice cream in a while."

"Okay!" said the young boy.