The Fragile Rose

Spring... A season that has been battled between love and hate for so long. Some love the sight of flowers and plants shining. Its vibrated color is nothing compared to other seasons. While the others dreaded bugs flying around, getting close to ears and faces. These devilish bugs make it hard to savor the season. Though Lucas had no problem at all, he also enjoyed the lovely colors of flowers and plants, but he found bugs quite vital for the “perfect spring.” In fact, now, Lucas is outside with a magnifying glass, he was analyzing a group of butterflies in the garden of his wife, Rosa. Lucas' main attention was on the wings, the variety of color and pattern of the wings attracted Lucas’ curious eyes like a magnet. In his head, he’s lost in his thoughts, thinking of the possible other variety. Soon his thoughts interrupted hearing a soft female voice from inside the cottage, “Lucas? Where have you gone?” Hearing this certain female voice brought a smile to Lucas’ face, he stopped and stood up, “I’m coming my love. "He said. Lucas still held on to his newly written notes and magnifying glass as he casually walked inside. The moment Lucas walked in, he was suddenly hit with the kitchen; he fell in awe seeing his wife in the kitchen with her favorite cherry-patterned apron. Lucas stood there memorizing her long dark black hair, bronze-like skin with dark blue eyes. He was so busy appreciating his love appearance, he did not notice the aroma of his favorite chicken soup was in the air. It was until he heard that voice calling his name he finally noticed. “Lucas...Lucas...LUCAS!?,” Lucas finally snapped out of it. he then blinked and at once respond to her with a question, “Is that chicken soup?” he asked hoping that she forgot he spaced out. Rosa slightly laughs, she was not dumb and knew what Lucas was doing, “of course, that’s why I called you,” she points out. Lucas took a seat down on one of the chairs near the take, he looked down at his notes while Rosa cooked.

“Are you still looking at those butterflies?” she asked in a teasing matter.

Lucas slightly laughs, “Indeed I am, not quite manly for a man wasted his like away studying simple things, am I right?” he asks.

“Well, I find quite attractive from you,” Rosa slightly giggles as she brought a bowl of steaming hot chicken soup.

Lucas gladly eats savoring the well-made meal.

“Seem someone was hungry.” she teased even more as she took a seat with a glass bowl for herself.

“Or perhaps I just love the smell of your delicious meals,” he chuckled.

“Well savor it before it gets cold,” she commented before she begins eating.

The two couples ate and continued their days till it was dark.

Soon the sky was dark, and the moon was glowing in the sky. The couple was in their bedroom cuddling close for a while.

The night was peaceful, until a loud scream was heard. Lucas immediately startled up from his sleep sweating. Once he gains a certain calmness, he looked around thinking it was some God-awful dream. He looked at his alarm clock to the left of him flashing “12:00 A.M.” It’s exactly midnight in his eyes, he then shifted his body right to try cuddling close to his wife again after experiencing such an awful dream. But suddenly, his blood ran cold seeing no wife of his side but just an empty pillow and blanket.

Lucas tried to stay calm fast, he was overreacting, and thought she was sewing alone in the kitchen. Wanting to know for sure, Lucas got up from his slumber and quietly walked to the kitchen. Lucas walks with a very anxious mind trying his best to not think Rosa was not in the kitchen.

To his horror, Rosa was not in the kitchen, all the fearful possibilities flooded his mind, Lucas was as pale as a ghost and looked around the kitchen. While Lucas looked, he came across a note. The handwriting was unfamiliar to him, so he knew it was not either his or Rosa’s. As Lucas reads from start to end, his fear builds up but also confusion.

“If you wish for the dear rose, you may come “rescue” her. But will you forgive her after finding that truth?

-J “

Lucas thought a lot of the last sentence “But will you forgive her after finding that truth?.” ‘What did it mean?’ Lucas thought to himself over and over again. Lucas knew Rosa as an honest person, they practically told each other everything. So, what would Rosa hide from him?

Lucas knew he had to ask her later after finding her. Lucas then finally found another thing attached to the note. It was a map that was the only way to get to her.

Lucas followed the map that took him hours to get to Rosa, on his way he was met with many obstacles. The first was he had to go through the part of the forest that was flooded with bloodthirsty alligators. He was lucky to make it through without a scratch or cuts. Next the next obstacle was to pass a long bridge through an extremely thick fog, not to mention the bridge was not safe with many wooden planks missing or some cracked. His final obstacle was not the surrounding but a woman who wanted to slow him down. Julia, the woman turned out to be the same woman who kidnapped for her “master.”

Lucas had unfortunately gotten to a fight with her. Juilia was a well experience fighter while Lucas was an average man. Despite Lucas light chances to face death. He manages to arm himself with an unused sword to beat Julia until she disappears from Lucas’s sight.

When Lucas was no longer to find Julia, he continued his journey happy he was close to Rosa.

Lucas was led to a cave, one that seemed abandoned with a lot of moss and weed crawling around it. The cave was also next to a fresh spring waterfall. Lucas walked inside the cave knowing he’s close to his dear wife. He was scared and worried about how she would look when he saw her. Would she be harmed? Bruised? Or dead?

Lucas quickly shook his thoughts immediately knowing they were thoughts he could not worry about now. As Lucas walked inside the dark cave, he sees a light, green light shining ahead, he was happy for a moment until he heard a scared voice on the other side he recognized well.

“Why, why would you do this? Don’t you know there’s consequences?” the voice pleaded

He knew who it belonged to and run fast with the sword he used to defeat Juilia earlier. Lucas immediately stopped seeing a man clutching on to his wife by the arms. This made Lucas angry seeing the fear in Rosa’s eyes thanks to this man.

“Don’t play innocent Rose, didn’t you know this was your fate destined from birth? and it seems like your husband has come to join us” the man said mentioning Lucas.

Lucas clutched his sword in pure anger looking at the blond-haired man with grey eyes who was now making Rosa cry.

“Let her go, you fool!” Lucas says angrily.

The man chuckled,” please, my name is William, and the true fool here is you. Don’t you know how special your wife is, what secret she has hidden from you?”

Rosa Look at William with eyes widen,” please don’t tell him! he’s an innocent man. He doesn’t need to know!” she says hysterically.

Lucas was shocked, so it was true, she was truly hiding something from him. For a moment, Lucas was lost and felt betrayed.

William could see the hurt in Lucas's eyes and smirked, “yes, Rosa here is no person with a normal heart. She holds the power of something that could change this wretched world and it is what keeps her alive. You are lucky man Lucas, if you knew what your wife had, you could have been a God. But now the power will be mine” he says with a maniac laugh.

Though Lucas was hurt, he heard and understood what he wanted. He wanted Rosa to himself, use her but not cherish her like he did. Lucas could not let him do it, he could not allow this man to take and corrupt her pure soul. Lucas threw the sword which forced William to drop Rosa but also cut up his cheek a little.

William seemed angry and went to attack Lucas, Lucas and William battled hard. Lucas manages to gain his sword during the battle, but he was still unfortunately on the verge of losing. William was too strong compared to an average man like him. Rosa watched in fear, feeling useless. She knew she would not be able to do much to help. Unfortunately for Lucas, William gained the upper hand and was choking him with both his hands.

Even though Lucas was only seconds away from death, he done the most damage with the little strength he had left. Lucas pierced his sword in William’s side. William cried in pain, but he still clutched Lucas’ neck. In the end both died with their very last breath killing each other. Rosa watched in fear and cried in agony when she no longer heard a heartbeat from Lucas. Rosa mourned in sadness as she carried his body with her out of the cave to go back home. She knew she would never love another man the same way she loved Lucas.

Losing him broke her heart and she was left with no choice but to give him a proper burial near their cottage, the place she knew he would prefer to be buried. Beneath the ground and grass, where the butterflies land.

Since that day, Rosa became nothing but a sadden widow, she still mourns for him, but she clutched on to every memory they shared for eternity. At most days, she stands still, blankly looking at the Butterflies Lucas admire so much. She dare touch them, afriad they lives will be lost by her.

One in particularly lands on her finger. She doesn’t stop it, just stares. She takes notice their wings, so colorful and bright red. It’s pattern dots and shape makes it look like abstract art. Rosa smiles a little as a singlr tear flows down her face.

“Now I see why you admire them so much Lucas, I though I did...but now I truly understand. They remind you of me...Fragile and beautiful...like a Fragile rose.”