Unseen Stolen Moments

• Siddhi Jain, Grade 8, The Hills Grammar School
• Short Story
• 2022

Excellence Award in the 'Summertime Fun ONLINE' competition

Evocative spring breezes danced with balmy rays falling onto gingham picnic rugs, as conversations upon conversations flooded the air. Words too heavy to be uttered were frozen in sparkling eyes and a warm embrace, cautious words whispered into the soft hair of lovers entwined with silver rings. Bathed in sunlight, supple skin connected, and a warm heat reflected in the cheeks of the people below, characterized by the ever-glowing star that lights up the world. The radiance of the sun showered everyone in a jocular mood, an infectious scent, a scent most envied by its partner and loved by its children. The children of earth dreaded when the light faded from the silent sky to reveal the matte, unspectacular moon. Two sides of a coin, twin flames, soul sisters. Neither existing without the other.
A jagged crack ran through the moon from the inside, growing wider every time it gave up the spotlight to the beloved star, pleasing the children of the earth. A crack parted by a chasm of neglect, abhor, simple displeasure. Ever hidden from the sun, unnoticed by the sky and the clouds. But inside the moon, aside from the dark pit of apathy, stood a pull. Stronger and stronger, away from the sun, away from everything the moon was supposed to gravitate to.
Towards the soft ripples of the water.
Oh, how the moon loved the playful way the oceans splashed and rolled under the suns glow. Oh, how the moon loved the sparkle of its clear basins, the graceful way it hugged the beaches, the easy rise and fall of its gentle breath doing pirouettes around the sea creatures it harboured.
But most of all, she loved the way it was pulled up towards the sky, reaching for something past the clouds, sky, and sun.
Reaching for her.
They held benign thoughts across the vast heavens, unbeknownst to the elements, cherishing their stolen moments. The ocean flipped and a warm glow rose into its waves, one that the sun would never conjure, a loving gaze overtaking its waters into the unseeing night. It’s breaths grew deeper as the moon showed softer sides of herself, letting the hard exterior fall away and showing the pure ecstasy in its heart. One that was only for the ocean, only for its beautiful body and cerulean irises that saw more in the moon that anyone else. But as these nights went on, and the sun grew older every day, it shone warmth over the ocean and saw the way the moon held its gaze a little longer towards the ocean, the way they grazed each other in ways that the sun never could, and gave a bittersweet smile as another small piece of its heart shattered.
Slowly, the sun began to set over its children and an idyllic world.
And slowly, the suns glow dimmed, giving one last breath as it watched its sister drift away for something it would never be.
For something it would never be.