THE LAST LEAF OF AUTUMN

She was only 10 when Lily lost her dad in the war. She lived with her mum and her cat,’ rice cake’.

After the war ended, they had to leave their home and travel far to the north. It was quite hard for them to seek shelter in the refugee camp. But after half a year, they found a place to call home.

So young she was when she saw snowfall for the first time. She was so happy after a long time that her mum was in tears because she thought her daughter could never, heal from the scar her father’s death brought to her.

So young she was when she made her first friend in the new land. She started going to the local school, attending classes, playing, singing, and making friends. She was happy. And just like that, a whole year passed.

So young she was, when she liked a boy in her class, but could never gather the courage to ask him anything. Her mum got a job in their neighbourhood. Her cat gave birth to 5 kittens and when Lily first saw them, she shouted “COTTON BALLS”.

That year, the locals predicted that the winter would be harsh. The forecast was so bad, that people wanted to leave that place. Lily was happy, she enjoyed winter so much the previous year that she wanted to enjoy it, even more, this year.

Finally, the autumn ended for good and then came winter. People were so scared but our mighty Lily kept screaming, "winter's here. Winter's here, everyone winter's here!!.”

It was not harsh but rather more soothing than the previous years. Children were out in the street, making Snowmen and whatnot. There were feasts held at night. People enjoyed the winter but not as much as Lily did. Then came her birthday,31st December. Her mum made a huge cake, peach flavour, which she liked the most. And finally, the year was over. Little Lily turned 12.

So young she was when she was diagnosed with a hole in her heart. It was so very small, that Lily could have used a drop of glue to seal it. Well of course, if it was like that time her notebook had a hole, but it was her heart we are talking about, Lily knew that there is nothing she could do about it, nor her mum or her best friend. If only her dad was around, she knew how strong he was.

She was given a year at most to live. She didn’t cry when she heard this because she knew how much the local people loved her, how much her teachers and friends loved her. She knew that they all would visit her, and they did. Her friends used to visit her every day after school was over, along with the teacher.

Her mother often cried, sitting beside her bed. Lily loved to hear stories before she sleeps and it was her mother who would read them to her. One day, while her mother was reading, she suddenly asked her mother, "mum, I will die right? This is the last year that I am going to spend with you right?” Her mother was crying, she couldn’t say anything. She felt all dry inside her. It was a feeling she had before, but that time she had Lily. But this time, what would she live with?

One day, Lily asked her mother, “mum, will you do something for me?”

Her mother nodded quietly.

Lily said, “when I die, please bury me under the tallest tree in here. I love winter very much. At the end of every Autumn, I want to fall like the last leaf from the tallest tree. I want to float in the very first cold air, every year. The feeling I had after coming here, I want to feel it every year, forever.”

There was nothing her mother could say. She smiled and hugged Lily. Maybe it was the last time she did.

Every single person in the town came when Lily was about to be buried. She enjoyed every bit of her life in that town. The people loved her nature and high spirit. Her death was something, the town people could never forget as the town was all gloomy. It was she, who screamed and said good morning to everyone, it was she, who loved everyone like they are a part of her family.

But at the end of every year after her death, her mother would go to the tallest tree, where her dear daughter was buried and wait for the last leaf to fall. And as the last leaf touched the ground, she would scream at the top of her lung, “winter’s here. Winter's here.”, just like Lily used to scream. And believe it or not but every person of that town, where ever they are, whatever they are doing, would also scream, “winter’s here. Winter's here. Everyone. Winter is here.”

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