She Is a Tree

The red sunset stretched their shadows across the ground. The older figure shuffled along, stooped and slow.

She met Wan at twenty-five, when Wan was already terminally ill. That year of hardship nearly cost her half her life. After fifty years, she finally saw Ji Wan at twelve years old. Sixty-four years had turned through several cycles.

Withered flowers by the roadside stood in striking contrast to the tender green grass.

Did she still love her?

On that young face was an expression of innocent ignorance.

Ji Wan held her hand and swung it back and forth.

Deep love had never been destroyed by time. Even as age left her skin sagging like boneless hide, and her hair fell day and night, turning white with frost, the warmth in her palm remained scorching.

As long as her palm remained warm, she would hold her hand forever.

--

She buried her ashes beneath a mulberry tree.

Just as she had once waited for her,

she too waited for death, and for their next reunion.

Though our paths diverged, I never forgot that I loved you.

The prequel is [Nightmare Monsters] in my author collection.

Theme: True love fears no death.