The Day

A sweet melody floated through the air from a choir of insects playing their instruments perfectly in sway with their bodies. Long grass waved along the expanse of the hill as though in sway with the music. Occasionally clicking together as though giving an uproarious applause. The breeze leading the chorus, the waving, and the cheering all the way to a large single oak tree perched on the crest of the hill. Whereupon an individual lay under listening absently to the music. Enjoying the breeze and the warmth of their skin from the cloudless sky above.

The young individual's chest expanded greatly, taking in the crispness of the air around them. They could not remember a day so splendid though their memories are sparse they knew that today was going to be one that would stick with them forever.

Closing their eyes they listened to the soft outro of the music around them. As they creaked open an eye a new song sprung up as though in response. They listened to it all the while staring up through the canopy at the sun above. Giving them a cool place to rest while being warmed with sparse shafts of sunlight trickling down. They felt as though everything around them were guiding them on a journey through their amazing day. The mast of the tree creaked with the breeze that brought the music and applause. The waves crested around them, occasionally spraying up with a tickle on the skin. The sun breaking through the tiny sails above made them squint occasionally as they watched and felt the warmth break through the rigging.

They noticed slowly that the music shifted to that of a soft lullaby, lulling them into a slumber so that the journey may quicken. Slowly the darkness of their lids encompassed their vision as they felt the pull of the orchestra. A feeling of sinking into that vast ocean washed over them as they slowly drifted down. But they didn’t want this day to end!

Laboriously their vision creaked open allowing the light once again to penetrate.

A beautiful person stared down at them. Bent over their prone body with a smile of honey and eyes that shone like the stars at night.

Eyes stretching, the young individual stared back silently. A race began in their chest, a heat crashing over their face, and their cheeks extending upwards finally into a smile to match this beautiful person. They didn’t know when the last time their cheeks did this, but they enjoyed it immensely.

A hand extended down expecting, waiting, but the young individual knew its owner already had their answer. They grabbed it without hesitation, a warmth and familiar connection extending between the two as they were pulled to their feet. A wash of memories flooded them about this beautiful person. The young individual knew them, but not from where nor how, but they did and it deepened their already tight cheeks. 

Without a word the beautiful person turned and began to run through the waves. With hands attached the young individual had no choice but to follow in the wake of the laughter that erupted in front of them. With a jolt the music around them hit its bridge stirring the young individual out of their reverie and into joining in the laughter. Together they crested the hill, wading through the grass hand in hand towards the bottom of the hill.

Weathered swings and a grandfathered slide greeted them through the parting waves. Metal flaking with an orange yellow interior pockmarked the structure. Chains creaked in the breeze. The seats swayed to the new song the orchestra began to play. Old oil wafting through the air like crusted deodorant. 

A cascade of images avalanched through the young individual's mind. They knew this worn playset. Snapshots of playing, hiding, exploring, along with happiness, sadness, excitement all rushed through as they saw all of it happening as though they lived within the span of their last breath on the hill. Sucking in the warm air they snapped back as the beautiful person began to drag them towards the slide.

Like watching them traverse a mountainside with ease the young individual spectated the climb of the stairs by the beautiful person. A slight worry pinged their chest as the worn slide groaned slightly due to the unexpected use, most likely the first it has seen in many years. But all concern was swept away when the sweet chorus of laughter joined the orchestra around them as the beautiful person slid down the metal surface with ease landing softly at the bottom. The young individual couldn’t hold back the tide of their own laughter that flowed out at the sight of the beautiful person using the slide that was last played with when they were small.

Like a thunderbolt the shock of realization hit them. The memory of this moment when they were children came roaring back and it left their cheeks tighter than ever before. As the beautiful person ascended the slide once more, beckoning them to watch, the young person started to stroll around towards the swings juxtaposed against the slide. As they watched them slide again the young person's hands caressed the metal links holding up the midnight rubber seats. The rough metal was warm to their touch, sunkissed heat radiated under their fingertips. Taking a seat the warmth extended up through their clothing making them feel aglow with emotion. 

With a sudden burst of movement and a wrestling of metal on metal the beautiful person was seated on the swing next to them and with immediacy began to pump their legs. Quickly they were flying through the air. A short burst of laughter slipped through the young individuals lips and they too began their take off. At that moment gravity had no meaning to either of them. They had wings. They could soar and reach the heavens. The song became slightly obscured with the rushing of the wind that aided their flight and buffeted their clothing making it billow all about them. But they had no care as they were flying and they were flying together.

After mere moments that felt like hours they both landed and sat in each other's company. Breathing heavily from their skyward adventure they looked into the depths of each other's eyes and laughed. The young individual was able to control their laughter first and watched the beautiful person continue to lose themselves to the jubilation. An unanticipated bit of moisture began to meander its way down their cheek. Startled, they wiped the tear away puzzled by this instant exclamation of emotion. The young individual was not sad at this moment, but they were happy. They realized they had shared many tears with this beautiful person ranging in all emotions and abruptly they knew this was because they were deeply and truly happy in this moment.

The young individual reached over and slowly grasped the beautiful person's hand causing them to swiftly gain control of their laughter. The person looked down at where their bodies met and then back up into the young individual's eyes and smiled. Suddenly, as though pulled roughly from the collar of their shirt, the young individual fell into the abyss of the person's  eyes. An ocean of stars and colors surrounded them as they plunged further and further into their depths. Trying to swim but going nowhere. The colors change like the seasons, but with more depth and vibrancy. Eventually they began to float and watch. Constellations came and went, but ones they knew not what they were though the beauty was not lost on them. Air caught in their throat as colors swam and swirled into images. Memories in calligraphy form began to dance around them. Of the two of them and things that were, things that are, and things that will become.

Immediately things went dark and the young individual felt a weight press upon their eyelids. An abrupt wash of fatigue racked their muscles. A warmth of the summer breeze washed over them, beckoning them to slumber. Slowly the lids came together and they felt themselves slowly descend even deeper. Sleep tried to overtake them, but they did not want this day to end!

A sudden burst of sound awoke them from their almost slumber. Flowering light casted stark relief against the starry sky behind it. Within moments another lit up the darkness next to the first and then another. The swing and slide are nowhere to be seen. A weight was pressed to their side, a head came to rest on their shoulder, and hands were still entwined. Sitting back under the oak tree they watched as fireworks danced across the sky accompanied in tune with the orchestra that had been with them all day. 

Settling the racing of their chest they relaxed into their partner next to them. Furthering the embrace. Deepening the connection. The young individual put their arm around the beautiful person's shoulders pulling them in closer as the fireworks began to slow. They slowly closed their eyes to enjoy the moment and the feeling of the other that was so close to them. Movies of more nights spent watching beauties in the sky reeled across the back of their eyelids. Fireworks in the summer, leaves in the fall, snow in the winter, fireflies in the spring. All hand in hand with the person wrapped so gently yet so tightly in the young individuals arms on this hill.

With Suddenness, the softness of a cloud pressed tightly against their lips . Stretching their eyes wide they noticed the beautiful person wrestled their way slightly out of the embrace long enough to place a pink bundle against the young individual's lips. Slowly opening their mouth the cloud was forced in with the honey sweet smile from the person behind it. In an instant the cloud vaporized upon touching their tongue leaving behind the soft pillow-like flavor of sweet candy. A sigh of joy escaped their throat as the taste washed its way down. The beautiful person let out a little giggle of happiness and proffered more and without a second thought the young individual swallowed it up. 

With another quick giggle the beautiful person pounced onto the young individual swiftly dragging them to the waves below them. The grass tickled their skin as they wrestled in laughter and then collapsed into soft, deep breathing. Cheek to cheek, warmth to warmth as the cool night air swirled past they enjoyed the embrace of the other. The young individual closed their eyes and felt the weight of the beautiful person press down on them and succumbed to the pressure happily. Again the softness of a cloud pressed against their lips, but with a slight moisture to them. As though the cloud accumulated sweet summer rain and tasted as such. The kiss from the beautiful person crashed over and through the young individual and made time come to a stop. Their eyes began to weigh and they could feel the familiar pull towards the depths below. They dove down through the ocean of the abyss wrapped in the arms of the beautiful person. Together they swam through the profundity of eternity, the stars lighting their way while sharing the sweet moisture of the summer rain.  

Slowly they felt the wash of the familiar tiredness trickle through their body. To rest. But they did not want this day to end!

The individual forced their eyes open and the weight was swiftly gone. The feel of the waves of grass massaging their skin had disappeared. The oak tree that was the sail on this joyous journey through a day they would never forget was absent. 

The individual was standing on the threshold of a room. A bed weighed heavy on the carpet below directly opposite of them. Flanking were two nightstands and a bookcase to the right. A large desk was juxtaposed next to an open window where the breeze danced and played with the white curtains. The sounds of the orchestra tumbled softly through the window and paraded across the floor. Highlighting the room was the beautiful person laying in slumber on the bed covered in a thin sheet.

Cheeks tightening, the individual began to make their soft approach. Though they tried to tread as silently as a leaf tumbling from the oak tree of their youth there was a slight creak to their bones like the planks of wood on the sailing ship. 

As they passed by the desk their finger traced across the aged and oil wood the same color as the oak tree from the hill. Playing across the smooth surface their finger came to rest at a small crevice in the corner. Toying the blemish with fingernails, all the moments of sitting, learning, living, loving played across their mind of this desk. The many years of everything it had seen, the good and the bad, passed along as though it waited for this moment to finally give them to its rightful owner.

The individual sat gently on the cloud that was their bed and pressed themselves gently against the beautiful person. With a soft shuffle the person turned to face the individual that had made up all those memories they both shared. The honey sweet smile that never faded crossed the person's mouth and a hand came up to caress the individual's cheek. It rested there, as though it wanted nothing more in the world than to stay there forever. 

The soft music continued its parade around them and the wind continued its waltz around the room with the white drapes of its dance partner.

Again the individual felt the pressure of fatigue. 

It had been a day they would never forget. Filled with memories they never knew they had or wanted or yearned for. But it was night now and they were with the person they loved and longed for. 

The hand caressed the cheek again and softly, sweet as the juiciest wine, smooth as silk, their partner whispered, “Sleep I promise you we will be together forever” all the while stroking the individual's cheek. The individual reached up and entwined their fingers with their partners. They didn’t want this day to end!

But it was night.

“Sleep, I promise,” came the sweet melody again. The orchestra erupted into a smooth song that began to lull the senses as though all day it had waited patiently for their singer to arrive. With the smallest of nods the individual's eyes began to close, locking the deep, starry expanse of the person's eyes and their honey sweet smile firmly into their vision. As their eyes locked shut and the soft music began to fade away the last thing that they heard was a soft single note that sounded far off in the distance. It was a long, high pitched note that continued on for what seemed like forever. The individual thought maybe it was the wind bidding them a good rest.

Eventually the note faded as well and the individual finally slept.