Photo credit: Alastair Forbes
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The bicycle tripped and he fell, his knee bruising almost instantly on touching the ground.
His wails grew loud.
An old lady came over to pacify him.
But he wouldn’t stop wailing.
His 5 year old self was more concentrated on the reddish-brown abrasion.
All the people gathered were getting tense now.
His parents were nowhere in sight, neither was any other guardian.
He was not even answering their concerned queries about who he was and what had made him come here to cycle alone.
Just then a white butterfly alighted on his bruised knee.
And he forgot everything else in the world.
Playing with the butterfly, he forgot the pain till his parents came to get him.
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Years later….
He’s standing on the edge of the jagged rocks.
The sea is agitated with the storm. Grey clouds are filling the sky.
He stands still. Reminiscing his life before he takes the plunge.
Just then the clouds part to reveal a gleam of sunlight.
He looks up to see the butterfly.
And walks back home.
He’s safe today too…….
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© 2013 Ankita Kala
