White space

Neverending

All alone

I don’t remember

 

“What do you want?”

someone asks

 

“What do you mean?”

I say back

 

The voice is silent

perhaps pondering

perhaps gone

but then it returns

 

“Do you want money?”

The voice asks

I furrow my brow

 

“Why would I want that?”

The voice is silent

and I wait once more

 

“Do you want sunlight,

The wind on your face,

The stars and the moon,

or the ocean instead?”

The voice was small

panicked and confused

I closed my eyes

and shook my head

 

“No, none of those will do.”

I sigh and try

to remember again

what I want,

if anything at all

 

“What do you want?”

The voice asks again

trembling, upset.

Then it hits me.

 

“Love.”

I reply

 

“Love? What’s that?”

I open my eyes

and smile

for what feels like the first time.

 

“It’s more precious than things.

It’s more precious than life.

It’s better than any feeling.

It’s eternal and bright.”

All falls quiet,

and I wait once again.

 

A door far away

opens then shuts

The voice is a little girl

she carries a box

 

The box is plain

not encrusted

nor ornate

but I smile

because I know

What happens next.

 

The girl brings me the box

and I undo the latch.

 

“What is it?”

She asks.

 

“Love.”

I reply.

“The one thing I need.”

 

I open the box

and show her what’s inside

and the girl understands

and for the first time

smiles.