2The Silver Tree
The man shifts as she comes into view. He crosses his arms, trying to appear at ease, but his smile betrays his excitement at seeing her. "Hey, you," he says, leaning against the tree. "It's been a while."
The woman rolls her eyes, but her flustered cheeks betray her mock annoyance. She gives up the act and smiles. "Hey yourself," she says, joining him at the tree. "It's only been a day."
The man slowly walks up the hill, one small step at a time. He pauses near the top when he catches a glimpse of a golden wreath fluttering in the wind. Mesmerized, he continues for a little while more, before coming to a stop in front of the tree. She's sitting down, leaning against the tree and looking at her own lap. He watches her for a moment more, before speaking. "You're beautiful," he says, startling her.
The woman looks up quietly. She watches his dark crown rustle in the wind, together with the copper-red leaves of the tree. She searches his face for any hidden joke, but there is none. Realizing this, the woman smiles brightly. "Thank you," she says, bringing a genuine smile to his face.
The night is out as the man waits by the tree. He watches the woman approach silently, her pale skin and golden locks shining brighter than the stars above. He should know. He made those stars.
She's wearing a dress, pure-white like the moon, but glowing in a way the latter never could. He marvels at her beauty. The woman joins him at the tree, leaning against its silver bark. "You're perfect," he says.
She laughs warmly. "I love you."
He brings her into his arms. "I love you too."
The man sits by the tree, together with the woman. They hold hands. The man reaches over to the woman and kisses her on the cheek.
She smiles, reaching over and whispering in his ear. His eyes go wide, and he stares at her. The woman fidgets nervously but awaits a response.
The man turns back around to stare at the sunset.
A lifetime passes.
"Well?" the woman asks.
"I'm thinking of a name," the man answers.
She beams, leaping onto him and offering him a searing kiss.
He accepts it, returning it with his own.
"I love you."
"I love you more."
The woman returns to the tree. Time has flown by, and she is now glowing. Much like before, but now she carries life. The man helps her every step of the way.
"Must you make this climb every day?" he asks, worried.
The woman nods. "I must."
Wearily, the man helps her sit down against the tree. He joins her, pressing a kiss to her temple.
"You are beautiful," he says.
"I know," she mutters.
He laughs, shaking his head fondly.
The man returns to the tree. The woman is there, joined by three others, all dressed in white. He stands vigil, watching the surroundings, but close by.
The woman calls for him, and he is immediately by her side, holding her hand as her screams tear into the night sky.
After many hours, it is done.
The three others then disperse into the air, gone with the wind, and the woman is left together with the man and their child.
The woman, tired, is quick to pass the bundle in her arms to the man, but only after staring at it lovingly for a moment more. She looks on sadly as he takes it.
The man sits down by her side together with the bundle, against the tree.
His hand takes hers, but—
He doesn't notice when she goes limp.
His ears are strained, but—
He doesn't notice when she breathes her last.
He wraps his other arm around the bundle, but—
He doesn't notice that it never makes a sound.
He holds the bundle closer to his body. but—
He doesn't notice that it might be too cold in his hands.
He rests his eyes for a moment. He hasn't slept for three days.
He doesn't notice that his world is slowly being torn apart.
Years go by, but the man still visits the tree every day.
He visits just in time to see the sunset. He leans against the silver bark idly, standing between two marble stones and watches the great fiery ball of light tip over the horizon, before sitting down and resting his eyes.
He then dreams of a large white castle, floating in the sky, bound to the heavens by chains of pure light.
He dreams of two angels.
The first is beautiful, with her golden wreath and fair skin. She blows a loving kiss down at him.
The second is smaller, younger, with a dark crown and a bronze complexion. This one waves joyfully at him.
Both beam down at him in shining light, laughing musically.
He gives them a watery smile right back.
The man walks towards the tree, though it is harder now, as his body is no longer full of life.
He watches the copper leaves of the tree rustle in the wind. Even after all this time, he still remembers it fondly. It's been there ever since he was born. He can't remember a time without it.
As a child, he would run rings around it until he tired, short of breath.
As a boy, he'd spend time trying to climb it, though he can never remember succeeding.
As a man, it was there where he met the woman of his dreams, and it was there where he fell in love.
As a husband, he would remain for hours at the tree, together with his other, better, half.
As a father, he spent very little time at the tree, though it was not the tree's fault. He simply wasn't a father for very long.
He remembers all these times fondly. Even the ones that didn't last.
The man comes to a stop in front of the silver tree with the copper leaves and rests a hand on the trunk. He sighs, before turning around in place and sitting down amongst the stones. He rests his back against the trunk and releases a breath of relief.
He's certainly changed, but it hasn't.
He breathes in. He breathes out.
He breathes in again.
He doesn't know if it'll be his last.
He finds he doesn't really mind.
He closes his eyes.
He breathes out.
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
The man shifts as she comes into view. He crosses his arms, trying to appear at ease, but his smile betrays his excitement at seeing her. "Hey, you," he says, leaning against the tree. "It's been a while."
The woman rolls her eyes, but her flustered cheeks betray her mock annoyance. She gives up the act and smiles. "Hey yourself," she says, joining him at the tree. "It's only been a day."
The man huffs good-naturedly. "It's been a lifetime."
The woman nods slowly in remembrance. "I know."
They lean, together, against the silver tree.