The little girl laughed happily in the afternoon sun. Her dark hair flew out behind her as she ran and her cherry-red lips formed a smile. She seemed completely unaware of the recent tragedy that shook the whole nation.
The man watching her smiled sadly. He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, realizing how important these simple moments were. Without them, he thought, surely the world would end. Two weeks ago, that wake-up call killed so many people with its Earth-shattering force.
Adults can only hope to shield children, such as this child, from the harsh, cold world, but they can only keep them in the dark for so long.
The little girl suddenly stopped playing and that sweet smile had fallen from her lips. Slowly, she walked over to the man, staring at the sky. She slipped her tiny hand into his, as he followed her gaze. In the blue sky, there was a plane that seemed to touch the clouds as it flew. When he looked back down, the face he saw wasn't the one of happiness he saw moments ago. Now, her innocent face held eyes that have seen too much loss for such a small girl, at such a young age. "Is it okay?" she asked, worried. Those big brown eyes saw right through him as she waited for an answer.
The man adjusted his glasses once more. He longed to tell the smallest of lies, just to protect her. However, saying that everything is going to be okay really isn't a small lie, because everything isn't okay. There's still tragedies like crime, terrorists, and famine. Although, all the simple and peaceful memories are what help us make it through the hard times. Peaceful memories like these, where the people you love are happy and safe.
