Butterflies
their soft wings caress those who are young and innocent.
a boy of eight sits on the edge of a picnic table, his sun bleached mohawk trailing down his neck, dampened with sweat. his green eyes shine underneath his fringe, squinting in concentration as he digs at a scab on his knee. one dirt covered arm rests on the table, his elbow in a plate of chocolate cake. as he pulls the scab from his skin, he can feel the tear. the separation of his skin.
over the noise of the other children, over the noise of the slightly drunk adults, over the noise of the barking dogs, he can hear his skin tearing apart. blood drips from the small wound and travels down the front of his leg, soaking into the soft cotton of his white sock.
a butterfly lands delicately on his other knee, as if she had been watching him. she then lifts her feet and uses her wings to float over to the boy’s wrist, flapping her wings softly. goosebumps rise over his skin as her feet glide softly over his leg.
he takes his hand away from the scab and the butterfly walks to the tip of his bloody finger. the boy lifts the butterfly to face him. her wings flap delicately one last time before stepping off his finger and leaving the boy to the picnic table, the cake, the noise.
the scab.
over the noise of the other children, over the noise of the slightly drunk adults, over the noise of the barking dogs, he can hear his skin tearing apart. blood drips from the small wound and travels down the front of his leg, soaking into the soft cotton of his white sock.
a butterfly lands delicately on his other knee, as if she had been watching him. she then lifts her feet and uses her wings to float over to the boy’s wrist, flapping her wings softly. goosebumps rise over his skin as her feet glide softly over his leg.
he takes his hand away from the scab and the butterfly walks to the tip of his bloody finger. the boy lifts the butterfly to face him. her wings flap delicately one last time before stepping off his finger and leaving the boy to the picnic table, the cake, the noise.
the scab.
