PASS THE AMBER

The leaves darkened as the sun dropped lower in the sky. To his left, he heard a shout of excitement and his sister burst through the woods carrying a large birch branch, beaming with delight. He helped her with the weight of the wood as they wedged the final piece into place. Their little house was complete. They stood back to admire their haven in the forest, and their dog galloped around them in excitement.

A gust picked up and swept around the clearing, causing them hug their coats tightly. The wind grew stronger and they fought to clear their faces from their hair. Suddenly the wood trembled and their house came apart in the wind. The braches clattered down like dominoes and settled in a mass on the forest floor. His sister looked at him, her face grieving their loss.

He knelt down and hunted through his backpack, pulling out a small gas lamp. He lit the wick, and passed the amber glow to his sister. She stood there, lamp in hand, as he began to pick up the pieces and resemble their house. She put down the lamp and ran to his side to help.