Nothing has to change

His heart throbbed as he jet past each tree, his toes barely making contact with the cool dirt and stone path. With each deep inhale, he remembered her. The scent of her skin, her gleaming eyes, the white streaks in her hair folding in the breeze. His pace slowed to a stop as he realized he couldn’t outrun his memory.

He lost control of his steady breathing as he stood there, tears taking over his crystal blue eyes. The sound of his cries passed as swiftly through the forest as he had, “Fae....” His knees hit the stony dirt path below as he fell, crushing under the intense pain of his broken, once ever beating heart. He wondered how his heart could keep beating without her breathing life into it.

Throwing himself at the mercy of this overwhelming feeling, he landed on his back, his arms stretched out to wide, beckoning for her as he stared into the light that escaped the shelter of the leaves above. His imagination held her just above him, standing the way she once did. Her smile teasing him as her voice surrounded his soul. These precious moments were eternally instilled in his mind.

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Fae gathered the last of the items listed and shoved them in her pack. Excitement festered deep inside of her as the moment grew closer. It was time for her to finally contribute. After waiting 16 long and difficult red moons, she was finally going to embark on the greatest adventure her tribe had to offer.

She went over her list again, ensuring she was well prepared, before she stepped into the hall. Her pack hit her back with a thud, throwing her a step forward, forcing an abrupt laugh to escape her smile. Bounding down stairs, focused on the door, she sped past her mother.

“Fae, don’t you dare run out that door!” Mom called out. Rolling her pearl green eyes, she turned and smiled at her mother, “I was just going to see where the moon is,” she replied, “It’s almost time!”

“Yes, I know honey. I’m so very proud of you. I cannot wait until you come home and tell me everything. Remember to keep your stone guardian close. Don’t wander. Stay with your group. Oh! And if there’s any boys,” mom winked.

“Mom!” Fae’s head fell back with a hard laugh, “I promise, I’ll be safe and I’ll be home before you know it!” Mom could hear the door close behind her as she sprinted into the future.

Fae stood by the great willow, waiting for the others from her tribe to gather. She counted her breath while studying the flowers that bloomed near the tree tops around the forest. Today was the day she would finally meet her kind from the surrounding tribes. This was the day that would begin her journey toward her destiny. She would finally find her place within the forest, her meaning, her position. She wondered if she would be a great chef like her mother or a grand officiant in the royal hall, like her older brother. The only certainty her future held was that she would never abandon her gifted position like her father had.

“Fae! It’s finally the day!” Her best friends voice stole her away from her thoughts and brought her back to the humble waiting pad under the willow tree. Fae and Merina laughed, practicing their tribal handshake. The girls greeted their fellow tribe-mates as each arrived to wait for their future.

A rumble flowed through the forest as the breeze whipped through the hair of the excited, impatiently waiting children. A squeal of joy exited all lips under the great willow as the ship appeared. Fae could see the young faces of so many other tribes. She scanned them, looking at the markings of each that set the tribes apart and she was suddenly overwhelmed with the same anxiety each of her kind has felt standing where she stood since the beginning of time.

Merina nudged her forward with her elbow, bringing feeling back into Fae’s body. She moved forward onto the ship, nervously searching for a seat among all of the unfamiliar faces that she had so impatiently studied until the night before. Without thought, she seated herself next to a tribe-mate from another end of the forest. Merina looked at Fae nervously as she moved further back, searching for her own spot among the tribes.

Keeping her head forward, Fae shifted her eyes to her neighbor. She relaxed as she realized he was looking out of the window.

“Hi...” she managed, but there was no response. Perhaps he could not hear her? She lightly touched the back of his perfectly folded hands to gather his attention. He whipped his head around and met her eyes. Silence stood between them as they locked eyes. His crystal eyes trapped her emerald eyes.

“I.. I, uh, I’m Fae.” she managed.

“I’m Julious.” He stated, turning his head back to the window.

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Julious struggled to sit up and wipe his face. He knew Fae’s mother deserved to know, but how could he tell her? How could he speak the words? What would happen to him? Would he dissolve?

The new red moon swung high above the forest as he wondered how long he laid on the path. He lifted his chin and peered down to his side, imagining Fae, lying beside him, lighting the future with her smile. Drawing a deep breath, he stood.

It was time to return to Fae’s tribe. It was time to face what he had done.

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Story based on an image created by my daughter. Check it out here: