• The raindrop fell. It cascaded down from on high, spiraling, and dancing in the wind. The howling gales and the force of the fall brought it crashing into my soul. It felt like a lifetime of pain with a drop of ecstasy as the elixir of life broke against my cheek.

    The blood of the Earth contained within a single raindrop.

    The sweet soothing feel as it absorbed into my being. The crystal liquid nourished me, and brought peach to my soul, like a meditation or a deep slumber.

    I loved it.

    More came; drops of life began to rain down. Each brought another taste of Infinity. My flesh quickly began to numb to the feeling, my thoughts turning to the idea that such enjoyment could be a wonderful thing.

    I ran, the rain coming, wanting to swallow me whole, like a viper following a mouse.

    “What are you trying to catch?” I shouted to the sky. “What beast are you trying to tame?”

    The heavens only replied with the crash of thunder and the bite of hail. I ran across an endless field. No shelter to save me from the beast that followed. Its rumbles resounding like a hungry dog taunted with a meal. I ran across the field with no hope in my heart. I kept plunging into the darkness that began to cover everything, the rain leeching away the last bits of light.

    It was the den of the lion, the pool of piranha. The rain and hail bit and battered my soul, as if to claim me as its trophy. I ran farther into the cave, fearing what may come.

    Lightning tore across the heavens, revealing the maw of the Beast. The mouth agape, ready to snap up the meal it chased. Sending a chill to my heart as it crept closer with each passing tangle of light. I ran away from the flash, and through the jagged teeth of light came again the crashes, now like the hungry howls of a jackal.

    I screamed, “Oh sweet heavens! Why do you torment me, bringing me such sorrow? Why continue to batter my spirit, taunt my soul, bringing my good cheer and hopes to an end? I love you! Do you understand? We have been lovers since the days of my youth! We would play and spend the summers together. You carried my kite, soothed my parched throat! My sweet lover, why do you now strike at me now as a jilted lover?”

    In reply, lightning struck across my heart, and in that moment of death, my answer came.

    A child I did not know yet knew at once. A create of life and death. She spoke to me in that moment. “I am life you say, and I am not jilted. We indeed have loved, I have held you hand in the spring, and kept you warm in the chilling winters. However, it is my time to claim what I deserve.”

    Then she kissed me with death. My soul and spirit felt my body being destroyed. It felt odd, opening my eyes. I looked upon a newborn child, only able to cry at the beauty. I wanted to embrace it, make it mine. I knew it was no longer my time. I gave the slumbering baby a tender kiss, and departed for the heavens.

    Sweet Elixir, Sweet Embrace, Sweet Kiss, Sweet Death. The World, my lover, I now go to rest.