The Incredible Sneezeless Boy

The withered tree shivered in wind, its wilted leaves whispered and rustled against each other, and the moon vibrated in the rippling water of the pond. During the day, maple leaves feathered floorward in orange strokes against the sky. This tree leaned over a great boy, giving him shade and making him cool. Today was a hot day, and even though this near-bare tree with its tired boughs and cracked, emaciated roots was barely able to give, it gave what it could. Were it able, its cracking roots would reach and pull from the pond what it could of water for the boy it shaded.

The hot wind woke the boy. He woke to clouds before him, beyond the pond. Massive as night, they bouldered into the sky above. He rose and behind him the tree cracked with lightning and it huddled over slowly. In death, this slumping maple tree gave shelter from not the sun, but the piercing spears from the darkened sky while its leaves whispered in the wind.