Leaving

She was the sole survivor.

Youth, fresh and green, seemed detached; fleeting days of invincibility that had belonged to someone else. She had not relinquished them easily, employing the subterfuges of age. She had painted her face and donned bright colors. The world would see her beauty, not the lines that etched her countenance.

Her friends were gone. A few, cut down in their prime, had been joined by more as time passed. Soon they had fallen in hoards until only a few remained. She had watched them cling with desperation until they could no longer remember why they held on.

She had been so proud of her strength. Now the miserable chill of death permeated her being, but she had forgotten how to let go.

A merciful god sent a brisk wind. A lone leaf floated away.

Three Word Wednesday. is a meme that challenges writers to create something using three selected words. This week’s words are brisk, detached and miserable. Click on the link to view other entries or submit your own.