Reflection

The Man and the Leaf

The street was empty. Nothing but the sound of crumpled newspaper and the buzzing of the lamps were audible. Locked in their homes, the towns people were warm and safe. But there was one man. Alone. Forgotten. He stood under the street lamp, cold and hungry. No one knew his name, no one knew his face. He staggered from side to side as he walked, his feet dragged under him as though they were strapped to chains. His heart was heavy with the burden of loneliness. His face wrinkled as every day passed with the coming of old age. He was alone. But there was one thing that he had, that he cherished the most. It was a soft, green maple leaf. His skin was bare with nakedness under the light, but the bright green maple leaf that was gently placed over his family jewels stood out under the light, literally. As he stumbled about through the dirty street, he glanced over his shoulders every so often as if a stranger in the darkness were to pounce on him. But this stranger in particular, was invisible to the naked eye. It stirred and swept about through the darkness. The man quickened his pace, arms stiff at his side. Whoosh... He stopped. His heart raced under his pale skin, his eyes wide with awareness and horror. Whoosh... It came again. Beads of sweat trickled down his face. Whoosh... He felt it this time. It swept swiftly across his bare chest. WHOOSH... The horror you are about to witness is like no other. The wind swept across like a darting fox. The maple leaf stirred and flapped against the wind. Finally, it let go, after many years of being so attached. It fluttered about... into the darkness of the night...