Endless

• Julia Hrelja, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2020

I walked. The grass flowed gently in the breeze. The meadow was empty but beautiful. Every once and a while I would come across a small patch of flowers. Sometimes the flowers were white and short, other times the flowers were blue and tall. I would bend down to look and appreciate the pretty flowers that occasionally broke the green scenery, but I would never pick any. It would be cruel to pick the pretty flowers. Sometimes there would be a tree in the meadow. I would walk up to the tree and sit there. The shade of the tree provided sweet relief from the spring sun. If the tree had fruit, I would take maybe one or two to snack on but no more than that.

I walked on the endless meadow for hours. It was relaxing as the soft, tall grass drifted against my bare ankles. My bare feet touched the gentle soil. I reached into my raggedy pocket and pulled out a peach I had picked from a tree.

I walked for a little longer and came across a beautiful cherry blossom tree. It was covered in pink flowers and pastel petals were fluttering in the wind around the tree. Beneath the tree was sitting a beautiful woman. Her long black hair laid on the ground. Her pale skin was mostly covered by a flower decorated kimono. She was sitting perfectly beneath the tree. She seemed to be enjoying the gentle breeze.

“Who are you?” I asked the woman. I sat myself beside her. She smelt like flowers and was even prettier up close.

“No one important.” She replied with a gentle voice. “Who are you?”

“Just a wonderer.” I answered.

“I thank you for being so kind to my plants.” She looked at me with a gentle smile. “Most who pass through my meadow aren’t as kind as you.” She reached over and elegantly grabbed my hand. I turned red as she held my hand close to her perfect face.

“What do you mean?”

“This is my meadow. My endless meadow.” She stood. Her long kimono drifted along the grass and her black hair dragged elegantly behind her. “And every plant in this meadow is my family.” Her smile was so gentle and warm. “Thank you for not harming my family.” I smiled back at her. She took me as she stood. “Have you enjoyed my meadow?”

“It’s beautiful”

“Thank you.” She put her hand near the ground. Beneath her hand a gardenia began to sprout. “A gift.” She reached for the flower and plucked it. She put the gardenia in my hair. “You must be off. Continue to care for my family, if you can.” She patted my head and sent me on my way.

After that, I never hurt her family, and in turn the woman would visit me every now and again. It was wonderful when petals followed her gentle kimono and long black hair as she occasionally glided into my window.