FLOURESCENCE

within reach of the bright yellow flowers and she glanced around her, fearing the return of those hands. She had been waiting for her whole life, but Mae still wasn’t sure if she was ready for the unknown in front of her. Taking her first steps into the forbidden flowers, she let out an unabashedly joyful laugh that reverberated through the warm air.

A young boy and girl walked through the forest of massive sunflower plants, stepping over the occasional carcass of a longdead bird or rabbit that had lost its way in the maze of identical green stems. Despite the gentle stench of centuries of rot, the glowing yellow orbs beckoned the children farther into the depths of the field.

Something red sparkled ahead of them, obscured by a particularly dense layer of plants. As they pushed through, the stems left stinging scratches on their cheeks and bare arms. A figure lay before them, hardly distinguishable from the earth below her body. Her hair looked as though it had been picked over by birds, but what remained was an enchanting shade of auburn. Her face was fixed in an expression of eternal joy. Inexplicably, the children sat down next to her, leaning back on sturdy sunflower stalks and closing their eyes. Consumed by a forest of brilliant yellow flowers, they wondered if this was what freedom felt like.

FLUORESCENCE

pen Lily Bruce-Ritchie // 12

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