Good-bye

Raindrops glisten and plop, falling off glossy leaves. My boots shuffle, the dirt loose under foot. The shovel rests against a slender sapling in silent vigil. A smooth grey rock, streaked with veins of pink and white, placed with care—a reminder. The peony weeps velvet blossoms. The air is still, heavy with damp. The clouds …

A Distant Bell

Luggage shuffled along the ground, edges grating on the concrete platform. Couples laughing and talking—a constant hum in the background. The fog had burned off the land. Only a hazy memory silhouetted the grey shadows of the forest beyond the station. My palms were moist, and I wiped them again, pretending to smooth down the …