Butterfly Kisses
Chapter 13
Gerard considered knocking on the door of the house, but he knew there was no real reason for Frank’s mom to lock it anymore. He carefully and quietly opened the door and inhaled deeply as the usual scent of antique dust filled his nose. A light cough escaped his lips as he stepped inside. His feet took their usual steps toward the back of the house as his mind sifted through the memories of his time with Frank. His eyes seemed to finally have emptied of tears, leaving him desolate and empty inside. His hand fell upon the wood of the door to Frank’s room, and he paused for a mere moment before pushing it forward gently and glancing around. The strange mesh cages still lined every shelf as they always had. Empty plastic cups with moldy-looking caterpillar food stuck to the bottoms sat stacked neatly nearby. The mellow music echoed from the speakers.
Gerard half expected Frank to emerge from the closet, cradling a few trays of sugar-water and a handful of cotton balls. Managing to hold back a sob or sniffle, he slowly traveled around the room and studied every object in sight. He froze mid-step as he saw the smallest cage, the one resting on the nightstand next to Frank’s bed. The picture in front of the cage had fallen helplessly to the floor, but even without its aid, Gerard could tell what kind of butterfly lived opposite the white-gray mesh. His gaze fell upon the delicate creature within, and he gasped in shock at its odd appearance. He hesitated for a second before he gingerly picked up the cage, holding one hand on the top and bottom of it to keep it still, as Frank had, and walked off to the park.
The trip seemed longer than usual without his friend, but he swallowed his sadness for the time being. He found the usual tree and carefully climbed up onto its thick branches, seating himself on one and resting his legs atop it. The butterfly rested on the bottom of the cage, wings folded as if patiently waiting for its release.
“A butterfly with broken wings is falling by your side,” he sang softly as he worked to open the latch. “The ravens all are closing in; there’s nowhere you can hide…” He reached in and delicately placed one finger beneath the creature’s feet, smiling a little at the light tickling feeling. He resorted to simply humming the song, hoping not to startle the butterfly before he placed it on the branch just above his head.
A large blackbird landed not far away, and Gerard carefully stood up and shooed it so it wouldn’t threaten the butterfly so soon after he had released it. It teetered for a moment as a weak breeze blew past, then fluttered away into the flowers below like so many others. Gerard smiled for a moment, then picked up the cage and carefully climbed down from the tree. He knelt by the thickest root protruding from the ground and studied it, running a finger along the lines of the small drawing etched into the bark. He knew Frank had always hated people who hurt nature, but he felt his friend wouldn’t mind this as much.
“Sorry I couldn’t let it go sooner,” he said softly as he traced the simple butterfly. “It wasn’t strong enough yet.” A single tear slipped down his face. He picked up humming the song again, then stood and began walking back to Frank’s house to drop off the cage before he had to get ready for the funeral.
“And it’s high time, Cymbaline. It's high time, Cymbaline. Please wake me…”
Gerard half expected Frank to emerge from the closet, cradling a few trays of sugar-water and a handful of cotton balls. Managing to hold back a sob or sniffle, he slowly traveled around the room and studied every object in sight. He froze mid-step as he saw the smallest cage, the one resting on the nightstand next to Frank’s bed. The picture in front of the cage had fallen helplessly to the floor, but even without its aid, Gerard could tell what kind of butterfly lived opposite the white-gray mesh. His gaze fell upon the delicate creature within, and he gasped in shock at its odd appearance. He hesitated for a second before he gingerly picked up the cage, holding one hand on the top and bottom of it to keep it still, as Frank had, and walked off to the park.
The trip seemed longer than usual without his friend, but he swallowed his sadness for the time being. He found the usual tree and carefully climbed up onto its thick branches, seating himself on one and resting his legs atop it. The butterfly rested on the bottom of the cage, wings folded as if patiently waiting for its release.
“A butterfly with broken wings is falling by your side,” he sang softly as he worked to open the latch. “The ravens all are closing in; there’s nowhere you can hide…” He reached in and delicately placed one finger beneath the creature’s feet, smiling a little at the light tickling feeling. He resorted to simply humming the song, hoping not to startle the butterfly before he placed it on the branch just above his head.
A large blackbird landed not far away, and Gerard carefully stood up and shooed it so it wouldn’t threaten the butterfly so soon after he had released it. It teetered for a moment as a weak breeze blew past, then fluttered away into the flowers below like so many others. Gerard smiled for a moment, then picked up the cage and carefully climbed down from the tree. He knelt by the thickest root protruding from the ground and studied it, running a finger along the lines of the small drawing etched into the bark. He knew Frank had always hated people who hurt nature, but he felt his friend wouldn’t mind this as much.
“Sorry I couldn’t let it go sooner,” he said softly as he traced the simple butterfly. “It wasn’t strong enough yet.” A single tear slipped down his face. He picked up humming the song again, then stood and began walking back to Frank’s house to drop off the cage before he had to get ready for the funeral.
“And it’s high time, Cymbaline. It's high time, Cymbaline. Please wake me…”