Transience

The little girl sat with her chin propped in her hands. She sighed. Numbed, her laments pierced nothing but the still, dark surroundings. She got up and pranced about to shake off her frustrations. Apparently, it was a futile move.

Navigating her way about in the darkness, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She did not know where she was headed nor what was left behind. Occupying her mind was a sole determination to distance herself from what was hurting her.

Exhausted after tackling the winding road she had taken, she stopped to catch her breath. There, before her, lay the most spectacular sight she could have ever imagined. A luminous object in the water captivated her. Her worries were momentarily cast aside. Lured by the light in her path, she stared in awe and wonder.

That was all that took to grip her attention for the next few hours. Bothered by its transience, she mustered her courage and with a bold swoop, she sought to cup her hands around the majestic object. To her outrage, she could not lay her hands on it. Repeated attempts garnered the same results. With wet hands, she thumped the ground furiously.

Time went by and the sky began to transform, spilling colours of radiance and opulence. The image of the object grew faint. Desperate to cling onto it, she threw herself into the water without thinking. She knew not how to swim. Gasping for air, she sank further as her hands flapped wildly in the water. Eventually, the ripples ceased and all was still.