Falling

Wc 142

Ginger watched the crowd leave the church, wiping their eyes, blowing their noses, embracing each other. As the bells echoed, leaves floated off the branches. She huffed away.

Her auntie had big hair, a wild laugh, and sparkly jewelry. That’s how Ginger wanted to remember her, not with a bald head, scratchy voice, or the tubes in her body.

A crow hopped along the stone wall beside her.

“Go away!” Ginger yelled. The crow alighted on a branch above her, leaves cascading down.

“Ugh!” Ginger tugged leaves from her hair.

The crow fluttered near.

"Leave me alone.” She stomped through the leaves. Hot tears slid from her eyes. She wiped them away.

The crow hopped closer.

Ginger saw something in its beak. A ring with a sparkly stone.

“But ...”

The crow dropped it in Ginger’s hand. Her fingers closed around it.

“Thank you.”