I walked out to the back deck, half asleep and wondering where you were. Wind had kicked up, making the tall firs dance, straining to hold their roots under a sullen gray vortex forming high above.

I spotted you there in the grass, on your knees, legs tucked and your bare foot bottoms juxtaposed as usual, focused on something I could not see. As I walked off the deck and made my way to you, our beautiful black cat shadowed me, wanting to know what I would soon know. Your butterscotch curls danced over your shoulder blades, teased in the gusts. I approached and saw a velvet ant in your hand....

"sweety, you shouldn't mess with her"

"it's okay, she's quite calm".

Your sweet voice always calming me, I stood and watched as the cow killer crawled across your pale palm. I looked up into the dark branches of a stately fir, two hundred feet high and swaying. I could hear the creak of it as it twisted in the wind that was getting stronger.

"sugarplum, you need to come inside".


There was no answer from you, velvet ant crawling around your hand, wind taking a branch off a tree next door. Primo, our cat, decided to break for the house as I knelt down to say it in your ear..... " I need you to come with me"

You hesitated, stood..... then bent to let the wingless wasp find it's way off your palm to the ground.

You turned your golden eyes to me and said "I needed her, like you need me, like I need you"

You walked past me, never turning, and I was left with breaking trees and roof shingles coming off the near by houses.

I turned to see a robin, wing broken.........I moved to pick her up and the whole world vanished.



I woke to the sound of traffic and an alarm clock.

https://maccharles.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/mac-charles