Empathy

By NationChild

Created on December 15th, 2006

She gazed thoughtfully into the fire, flicking its embers up into the sky. The heart of the fire…it seemed so elegant… She was woken from her daydream when she heard a sniffling sound next to her. Turning her head, she glanced at her companion. He was dressed in jeans and a simple blue t-shirt, also staring into the depths of the flame before him. Tears rested lightly on his eyes, but he refused to let them go.

She knew. She knew what had happened and she’d never felt more afraid for anyone than she did for the little boy sitting next to her. Turning back to the fire, she watched him out of the corner of her eye.

He was far away. Dreaming his dreams that never came true. Then reality came crashing down onto his head. He suddenly realized, time wouldn’t stop just for himself. And, as though they knew he had fought the battle, and lost, continuous streams of crystal tears slid down his cheeks. And he closed his eyes, and let them go, let himself surrender.

Seeing him cry, with a pained but somehow serene expression, she blinked. Once, twice. On a sudden impulse, she threw her arms around him, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words.

The two had never really been close, but that didn’t matter. That evening, near a fire dazzling with sparks, a soul embraced a soul, their hearts mingling, their sorrow mixing, and their tears providing a perpetual feeling of bittersweet.