Fragile Shard 6. The Ecstasy of Rain.
You look up and eagerly await the black storm clouds to finally unleash their blessed ice drops. Standing still, you hold your breath and fix your glazed eyes upon the gloomy sky.
All around you lie black night fields — emptiness and silence prevail. Nothing stirs in the vastness that surrounds you.
Yet, you care not for what happens somewhere far away. You are here for the rain, and the rain is here for you.
Thunder rumbles, and beyond the fields, in the distant horizon, a dark and blurry flash of lightning splits the night. The scent of ozone fills the air, carried by a strong wind from the west, bringing with it the incomparable fragrance of a summer downpour, wet dust, and grass.
You wait. You remain motionless. All that exists is the stormy night sky and you.
Inside you, fragments of regrets and dreams swirl, but these are mere remnants, ghosts of the past. In truth, they no longer hold any power over you. Nor do you. There is only the sky, filling your essence like an empty vessel brimming with anticipation for the rain.
A single drop descends — the harbinger of rain and liberation. You witness it as it slowly falls right into your glazed eye. Illuminated and refracted by the lightning flashes, it splatters on your eyelashes, breaking into hundreds of tiny droplets after it comes to a brief pause, followed by an army of its clones.
Then, a blaze of bright light and the scent of ozone surrounds you. You are gone. You exist no more. Just a handful of dust, getting wet in the rain.
But you are more than that. You are the earth, absorbing dust. You are raindrops, lightning, and clouds.
You are the whole world.
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“Fragile Shards: Whispers of Transience” is an evocative anthology that spans 15 years of the author’s writing journey. From mystical adventures to dark introspections, these tales traverse vivid landscapes, offering a captivating glimpse into the ever-changing tapestry of human emotions and perceptions. Each story is a unique shard, reflecting the complexity of life’s experiences and the resilience of hope.