Keeper of the Basket of Dreams

She stands in bold silence as they place a crown of roses on her head. Holding tightly onto the Basket of Dreams, she bids her family a wordless goodbye. Her bare feet carry her over first compacted dirt, then soft grass, the emerald blades tickling her toes. A train of murky fabric flows behind her for miles, reminiscent of a trickling stream at dead of night.

Her grip on the basket remains steadfast. Her steps are slow, deliberate. Hesitant.

A myriad of stars begin to flow from the basket and converge with the sky as she sheds her final tears.