Horizon

"I don't think..."

"Don't think”

Sometimes he was there. Sometimes he wasn't.

She would simply draw a line in the sand.

“I don’t like that,” she would say, and he can choose whether or not to step across. Her hopes was that he would not. He may tease and play. But he knew her limits, and she knew his. And if he went too far, she would tell him, and he would do the same. It was what made them strong. It was what she loved. And when he wasn't there, the lines in the sand would wash away. Hoping he would return and draw with the stick once more.

“Let’s see where it goes…”

1 year. 1 year in the time left remaining.

As she watched in the radiance of the sun over the horizon, she couldn't help, but think of him.

The lake was quieter than usual that evening. It was sometimes nice to see it like this. Peaceful. Away from all the noise. The sounds of nature standing alone in the silence. She noticed something peculiar stuck between the metal wires of the wood fence. Pulling apart, as a monarch fluttered trapped wings. Flying freely away. It was quite magical. As she continued about her day.

…

“What’s that?” she asked her father.

“They’re caterpillars,” he placed the critters into the net trapped enclosure, hanging it by the flowers. “They hatched a few days ago and after feeding they will soon enter the pupal stage.”

“Pupal?”

“A chrysalis. When they cocoon themselves and begin transforming into a beautiful butterfly. Depending on the species, the location, and the habitat, some may live for only a day while others may thrive for months. Camouflaging from predators in the patterns/ colors that were passed down through generations of evolution.”