FLEDGLING- Issue Seven (09/13/2020)
Image Source: Andi Pope/Flickr
approaching
Written by Paxton Calder
i could smell it in the air,
feel it in the rumbling core of my bones,
in the tingle of my fingertips,
& the cloudy haze that seemed to hang in the air around me,
not willing to settle or dissipate,
a certain humidity that could only mean one thing.
i could see it in the way the wind picked up
without a moment’s notice,
& startled the leaves on the trees,
making them tremble with fright
all at once,
igniting a noise that erupted & rippled around me,
like a set of dominoes,
only to die down again just as quickly as it all started.
i could see it in the way the boats bobbed in the water at the dock,
up & down erratically,
as if they were constantly looking over their shoulders,
back out to sea,
nervously keeping watch on what was to come.
i could hear it in the anxious chattering of the gulls.
i knew it was coming,
just how i know i will one day die.
there’s no doubt about it.
it’s inevitable
& it’s coming.
Author bio: Paxton Calder is a high school student from Virginia. She loves reading, writing, and competitive swimming. She also loves being creative and has been getting through isolation by trying new things.