Heartfelt

[Kierin]

Standing on the edge of what once was Saint Joseph School grounds, Kierin slipped her hands into her pockets, and stared. The light gust of fresh, clean air that always surrounded her picked up a few locks of snow-white hair and flicked them over her eyes, quickly buffeted by a countering breeze and falling back over her shoulder.

The young woman looked at what had become of that building, but she didn't see it. She saw, instead, the place she had called home for a time that seemed too short, and too long ago. She saw students sitting around the quad, her notebook to one side to listen to them bantering, groaning about teachers, or what to wear for the dance, or why the gangs felt the need to base in the city sewers. She saw the football field, their beloved team reveling in frenzied cheers as they took another seven points. She saw the gym decorated and lit for the dance, students dancing together, or sitting alone, or grouped up to stoke or diffuse some swelling drama on the dance floor.

She saw rabbit ears, blue skin, green hair, bumping shoulders with kids who looked normal, or who couldn't be seen at all. She saw feathered wings.

In truth, Kierin didn't really see much other than the blurring of tears in her eyes. But she hastily wiped them away with a rueful smile, a quiet laugh falling from her lips as her feet lifted off the ground. The wind picking up around her swallowed her whispered "Thank you," and she turned away, returning to life elsewhere after a fond glance back at the site of her most treasured memories.

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You'll always mean more to me than I'll be able to express. Thank you, everyone, for the magical experience you created here. I hope you're all doing well.