Petrichor - ZARA ZIERHUT '27

Have you heard, darling child, of the girl who

lives in the sun?

She didn’t always, of course.

It must have been, what, only a few years ago, when 

she moved in.

How did 

she get there?

Well, once upon a time, 

she was just a girl like you.

She lived in a slightly above average 

sized house with a slightly above average 

sized family.

She was young, always 

told how her future was waiting for her.

She was scared, though, always 

hiding behind her smile and her cold hands.

She was insecure, always 

staring at herself in the mirror at night, 

hoping something would change.

But most of all, she was sad.

So very sad, for reasons she didn’t even know.

And to protect herself from any more sadness,

she covered herself in a thin layer of light.

Nothing too lonely, just enough to push away

anyone who tried to get 

too close.

At least that's what she told herself.

In a year or so, her barrier had grown, and

no one could even get 

within a week of knowing her before being 

pushed out.

It soon grew too much, and 

she stayed home, unable to move, her barrier so big, unable to open her bedroom door. 

With no one to talk to, her ball of light turned opaque and even her own mother 

Yes, she had a mother, just like you, darling. 

Anyways,

no one, not even 

her own mother

could make it through to her.

Light led to heat, as it always does in these stories, and her heart started to burn up.

Her tears tried to keep her cool, but you know that 

rain cools much easier.

Eventually, her barrier grew so big 

she had to take her place in the night sky.

Yes, that's the end, now it's time for sleep.

Oh, she’s fine!

I’m sure

she doesn’t miss earth too much.

She learned to love her barrier, in a way.

She only misses the smell of the rain.

No, she didn’t tell me, but you know that

tears smell much different.

Are you scared of her, darling child?

Don’t be.

She’ll be gone all too soon.