ABOUT THE DROUGHT 2

Olly's father was pained. His flower was fading away right before his eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop it. She, at a point in their lives had blossomed more than the fairest daffodils in the land,  her beauty was incomparable, her scent was more than fresh roses and her smile could cause ships to set sail; she always set his ship to sail. Now,  as he watched her sleeping, his flower looked nothing like she used to. This pained him. He wished he could bring back all the years that had gone so he could spend more time with her. He worked too hard but she worked harder and maybe that's why she fell ill again. The doctor said she was allergic to the field but they couldn't help it. She had to help her husband on the farm so they could sell their crops and eat what was left. She had fallen ill three times before but had gotten better; this time,  it seemed her body couldn't fight it anymore.

"I see the lines on your forehead  dear, still worrying yourself about this old hag" she said after watching him trail off in deep thought.

" You can't get rid of me that easy love. I'm sticking to you like a slug" she said with a wry smile across her once beautiful face. He managed a smile too but the tears in his eyes stole the moment.

"Please Anna, fight this. Fight it hard for Olly, fight it harder for me. I need you,  I always have" he tried hard to hold back the tears but it burst forth in torrents.

"Shhh... Hush now. The end of a thing is always more beautiful than its beginning. I know I don't look beautiful but there's a beauty in all of this" she managed to speak amidst the pain she felt and the cough that rent her whole frame.

"You've always been stronger than me, Anna. You've been my rock, my anchor and if something happens to you,  I don't know what I'll do" he sobbed further.

"You'll survive Jonathan Smith,  you'll survive! " at that point she too joined in his tears.

Olly didn't know how he got to the door of his parents bed chamber but he was there; he saw it all,  heard it all and strangely,  felt it all. He wanted to run away but his legs were not moving. He didn't know how to feel,  he wasn't sure of what to do. His little mind didn't have a means to deal with what he just encountered,  all he did or all his body agreed to do,  was to cry.