Darkness. Darkness.. Darkness… The cool evening sky seems so endless and so vast. The anticipated murmur below is all that breaks through this silence, this darkness. There is a small light, as insignificant, as minimal, as a single birthday candle on top of a cake. The murmur dies down to a brief whisper. A whisper of hushing. All that is heard is the sorrowful song of the summer grasshopper in the distance. All that is seen is the single flame of hope and expectation in the darkness. A brief sizzling sound intrudes the sweet melody of that evening song. The flame licks its way up the cords eagerly as a lover to the base. The death of the flame is brief as it enters. A take off. Faster than an angry hand of an aggressor. The vast night is penetrated deeper, deeper and deeper still. The sky opens to this foreign, yet familiar, intruder as a virgin who opens her legs willingly. A burst of light breaks through and cascades down onto the faces of the beholders in frightening shades of blood red. A loud crack, a boom, like a bullet leaving a gun explodes through the silence. A brief squeal of the next before a star of royal blue is born next. Again and again these colors change onto the faces below. Yellows, greens, violets and oranges again and again in a diligent spiral. A climax. So beautiful and luxurious display of all merging colors of the bursting sky flowers. Grins of excitement fill the ground below this chorus of delicious lights. A final shocking bang of the final rocket punches the sky before silence. All that remains is the hazy smoke, the heavy empty air and the expected cheer of the crowd for these sky bombs.

The summer breeze blew her hair in wild brunette wisps around her head. She drew a breath, deeper, and deeper until her ribs ached. The taste of the warm air made her tongue tingle with excitement. She stood in the tall grass and ran her fingertips over the dried plants. Her eyes focused on his back as he was kneeling to adjust the thin plaid quilt on the lone patch of dark dirt that barely broke through through the vegetation. “It’s so beautiful here, Ross. It’s so isolated and peaceful.” She batted her long eyelashes adoringly as Ross turned and smirked in her direction. A familiar and warm feeling spread across her body. He stood slowly and reached up to adjust his glasses to fit back over his dark eyes. “I know you. I knew you’d love to see this place again.” He took a small step towards her and reached his inviting hand out. A small smile played on her pale lips as she grasped his warm hand. They sunk down onto the blanket together and were swallowed by the grass. “I’ve never seen you in a light quite like this. You’re absolutely glowing.” Ross tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear making her cheeks turn rosy. His fingers lingered on her cheek and made its way down to her bony collarbone. “We’ll, now that I have you here to myself for one more moment, what shall I do with you?” Ross’ breath passed over her lips like a stolen kiss while his fingers played with the strap of her sundress. “You tell me.” She whispered to him and smiled coyly leaning into his touch. Ross smiled and showed his familiar sharp canines before leaning in and touching his lips tenderly to hers. He leaned over her small frame and placed his hand on the back of her head while laying her down. The smell of freshly disturbed earth and Ross’ warm breath filled her senses. Ross’ thing brushed her bottom lip and opened access for his tongue to ease in.

“Wake up! Heather!” Heather’s eyes flew open and reality hit her chest like a sturdy punch. He was gone, she was here. An empty orange and white bottle laid by her head on his stone. Her red, puffy, eyes glanced around for the source of the odd voice. Finding no one, nothing. Heather glanced back down at the stone, Ross’ picture smiling back at her sadly as if he knew she was here waiting. Waiting for death to take her hand and reunite them at last. “Soon my love, my life, my Ross.” Heather laid back down, sleep coming to her once more.