The water swallowed the night and gurgled quietly as a thread of silver moonlight struggled to balance atop a band of ripples, finally collecting itself in a solid line that swirled and swayed across the black, reminding her of a song she could no longer remember.
Her hands were shaking as she moved across the yard, gathering leaves, and then tossing them into the puddle. She watched them drift back to dry land and amass on the muddy edge like small boats docking for the evening.

The texture of nighttime caught on her tongue and rolled about in her mouth, eventually settling in the pit of her stomach where she felt it absorb, and pulse through her. Her mind was selectively wrapping itself around another string of futile thoughts when she was startled by the smell of something familiar.

She turned to greet him with a half-smile, a kind of nod, and a bow of her head as she suddenly felt shy and unnerved by his presence. Her hands moved to his face, and then to his shoulders, until she was embracing him in manner that was in no way characteristic, nor for that matter, extremely comfortable. She felt him breath against her, pulling her in and releasing her rhythmically…..She swelled up on the inside until there was nothing left but the sound of her breath between them. Her words had been stolen. He inched at her soul.

She fell to the ground pulling him with her onto the leaves as she melted and evaporated into a song she could no longer remember………