Author’s Note: This is just an experimental piece for me. I’m not quite sure what to think of it yet.

As he sat in the shade under the ancient porch overhang, Aaron watched the neighborhood children play in the empty lot across the street. He smiled at the sight—it hadn’t been too long ago that his grandchildren had played in the same empty lot—and soon, hopefully, his great-grandchildren would be entertaining themselves there.

…pocket full of posies…

“Hey Max, heads up!” he heard one of the children exclaim. A young boy with muddy brown hair and splotches of dirt all over his face gestured to his friend before tossing the baseball. Max grinned as he jumped and caught the ball in his leather mitt.

“Nice throw!”

Aaron watched and smiled. After awhile, he closed his eyes.

…ashes, ashes…

The ground began to shake. The children in the empty lot dropped to the ground, practicing the earthquake drill that they had learned in school. After a few seconds, they stood up again, gasping in horror at what happened to the house across the street.

Aaron never saw his old home crash down upon him, and he never felt the weight of the porch overhang crushing his body. He was already gone.

…we all fall down.