TEN SECONDS

The wind clipped off the only yellow leaf of the Honey Locust in a direction, opposite to which I was sitting. As there was no one in the park that evening, I heard the only tree hissing and the wind slowly howling. The sun had set already but there was still some light left. The purple turned pink sky had a view of its own.

The leaf swayed up in the air, as if trying to fly for one last time, but completely detached for the first time. I jumped up from my seat and stood to my feet, ready to catch it. I could hear the soft crushing of the newly grown grass beneath my bare feet, as it tickled me a little.

I moved swiftly towards the leaf as it swerved away along with the wind, not ready to fall to the ground just yet. As I looked down to avoid some pebbles, I saw a white rose in my way. The only rose had given itself up to the powers of the wind. As I reached closer to it, I jumped over the rose, and my left toe brushed against its surface. I was in the air and I looked down. A small white petal had detached from its family.

Both my feet and the petal kissed the ground at the same time. As I looked up, the yellow leaf had now began flying downwards. But it was still beyond my reach. So I jumped and jumped and jumped higher, to test whether I could catch it. As I came closer, I jumped and the leaf brushed off my longest finger. As soon as I came thumping back to the ground, I turned quickly. The leaf had taken the opposite direction to sway now. My jeans, even though tattered, weren't allowing me to move freely enough. I followed the leaf. It was almost about to hit the ground. So I ran faster. And just as the leaf was about to touch the grass right beside the white rose petal, I grabbed it with my thumb and forefinger.

It only took ten seconds, and the sky was now turning black, as the wind ruffled my newly cut hair, and a little smirk left my face.