When Dark Turns to Light

She sits in a field, watching the stars. Lying in the tall grass, she shivers from the cold breeze blowing and causing the stalks to sway. The ground feels damp beneath her as the dew starts to gather. Goosebumps travel along her arms as her tank top starts to cling to her, dampened. Her blue jeans are smudged with grass and dirt but she doesn't care.
Looking up at the stars, nothing else matters.

She hears footsteps in the grass as the crickets sing. The wind blows softly again; but it is not the only reason she shivers. She closes her eyes and breathes slowly. Opening them, she sees the dark pool of the sky, littered with stars. The trees in her vision reach up the caress the stars but they don't quite reach. A pang of sympathy cuts through her; imagine wanting to touch the sky, being so close yet so far?

The footsteps and crunching grass grows closer. She drags her bare arm across her eyes, blocking out that overwhelming sky. The footsteps stop next to her. She hears the rustle of his jeans, the hissing of his shirt bunching up as he lay next to her. The grass shouted loud complaints at being crushed underneath him. Their sweet smell overwhelmed her sense until she could smell him. His simple scent that she could recognize anywhere.

He didn't speak; neither did she. They didn't touch, didn't think, didn't even breathe too loudly. Perfect silence reigned, only interrupted occasionally by the insects buzzing to and fro. Eventually, what seemed like hours passed; to her, it almost felt like a few moments. The sky started to lighten as the stars said their farewells. The birds started singing softly, the insects hummed and the wind sang. She felt the heat of his body near hers and she shivered again. She was not startled when she felt his hand close on hers. Warmth spread from her fingertips up her arms to her toes. Still, they said nothing.

As the sky started painting itself lovely, soft pastel colors of orange and pink, she sat up. Still holding his hand and smelling the sweetness of the crumpled grass, she tucked her head between her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs. She felt the dew all over her skin; it was so gentle yet cold to her senses. She shivered again and this time, he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't speak a word. Neither did she.

A tear rolled down her face as the stars completely vanished and the sun rose. She reached out her free hand and tried to grasp that light, that sphere of warmth. She closed her eyes, leaned into him and felt the light overtake them both. The light that banished the shadows, that warmed them both perfectly; the light that meant a new start, a new day. She opened her eyes and smiled. She looked up at him and saw that very light reflected in his eyes. She touched his face and as he turned to her, she whispered softly.

"Good morning."