The once green pastures had long dried up, leaving a sea of brown, colourless desert grass growing in its place. The lifeless remnants of once abundant crops were a stark reminder of what once was.
As she stood at the foot of the hill, looking up the sandstone path toward the house she recalled the day a messenger on horseback arrived at the house.There was a fire and they needed more manpower. Of course she knew he would go, he would never had said no to others in need. She traced her fingers across her cheek as she remembered the tenderness of her husbands lips on her cheek. She felt a real emptiness inside when she recalled him waving goodbye just before disappearing from sight. He had gone to fight fires many times before and had always returned but this time he didn't. This harsh and unforgiving land had given so much to her but it had also taken so much away.
Today she would say goodbye to this place. She looked up toward the sky and felt a cruel irony when she noticed dark gloomy rain clouds looming overhead. A tear rolled down her cheek and as she wiped it away a solitary raindrop fell and kissed her cheek, in the same spot her husband had kissed her that last day. In that moment a warmth welled within her. She felt comforted and at peace. She could feel him near.
She thought, "There will be no goodbye today!"
Inspired by picture prompt from Tess @ The Mag
