In a golden field of miles of plains, the Sun’s rays gently graze the tips of the tall wheat.The field itself gives off it’s own radiance, accompanying the solar arms that stretch out toward the Earth’s surface.The limitless oceanic sky kisses the horizon of the wheat plains. A few clouds scatter the atmosphere. Each one an individual being. Each one slowly traveling the sky with it’s own destination. Some travel in close range, almost how birds do when the winter chill approaches and it’s time for them to leave. Summer’s breath sweeps past the fields, weaving it’s way in and out of each individual plant. As the wind slightly pushes past the field, it creates soft waves. Birds rise out of the forest of golden strands and into the daytime sun. Spreading their wings and gliding along side the clouds and the wind. Feeling the warmth of the Sun’s radiance shine on the back of their wings. Experiencing the wind under their wings as they soar into the sky.
Walking through the meadow, I allow my hands to flow over the tips of the tall plants. I can feel the ends of my fingers breeze past the coarse hairs of the wheat. As I walk, I turn around to see if I had made a trail where I passed. Not a hair out of place, everything was as free and beautiful as it was when I passed it. I close my eyes and breathe in the sweet wind that brushes past my face. The faint fragrance of the wheat plains dances alongside the gentle wind that dances around me. Opening my eyes, I begin to feel the sudden urge to sit. As I lower myself into the field, the wheat seems to be growing and stretching for the sky. Reaching for atmosphere that claims the clouds, the birds, and the wind.
I stand on my feet again and gaze at the vast and endless field. Looking down from where I had laid down, the wheat had quickly rose with the soft wind that blew by. The perfection of the golden strands stood as tall and as proud as they did before I laid on them. I must preserve this perfect memory somehow. Surely with old age I may forget the sweet paradise. I want to keep this memory forever. I need this to be all mine and no one elses. Glancing at the wheat around me, I discover an idea. The best of ideas! I will take a single strand of wheat. No harm could possibly come of that. I extend my arms and hands and search for the single most perfect piece of sun kissed wheat. This one should do. It looks strong and healthy so I shall take this one with me. But maybe I will forget what this simple strand of wheat means. It couldn't do any harm to only take a few more. I want to remember this place and how it made me feel so free and keep this feeling to myself. I pull more strands from the Earth forcefully, uprooting the plants. I kept pulling more and more strands from the Earth’s soil until I had realized that I had made a large barren spot, exposing the soil. Surely it will all grow back eventually and nature will take it’s course and make new wheat.
The soil beneath my feet begins to turn unusually warm. The ground was turning loose and dry. The wheat surrounding me began to turn into a brown that turned black. It was like a game of dominoes you would see children play. Setting them up all around the house until every one of them is set up then knocks the first one down and watches the others fall. The field had turned black and the wind had come at a standstill as if the Earth was holding it’s breath. Only a few seconds had passed before I have realized what it was that I had done. All of the wheat began to decay and rot. It had reeked of death. I search the sky for the birds that had once touched the sky with their wings. But there were no birds to be found. The Earth had finally let itself exhale and all of the blackened and decayed wheat had blown away into ashes. When the ashes had blown away, there were the once singing and soaring birds that conquered the sky. They all flinched in a lame and desperate attempt to fly again but none succeeded. Like the great wheat fields, they too turned black and rotted until they turned into ashes and swept away with the wind. The dirt beneath my feet turned to hot sand that burned the bottoms of my feet. I can feel the Sun growing stronger, burning and destroying my very skin. I have destroyed this place. This place I once called paradise. Now all that is left is a dessert that will never again contain life. I fall into the burning sand and wait for my body to wilt and decay away like the wheat fields and the birds. And I shall fade into ashes like they once did.