Disclaimer: This piece of fiction has been written solely for the entertainment of the readers (and its author). No infringement upon copyrights has been intended.

CLOUDS

by Renny Ramos

This is a response to Bonnie's Poem/Story Challenge. Bonnie provided the poem; here's my story.

Do you know what the sky looks like, just before the sun allows the shadows to return? I do.

The clouds get filled up with this golden band of light, and the grey vanishes. At least, it almost does. And you don't get to see wispy puffs of nothingness, not at all. What you see are huge, majestic swirls of brightness draping themselves above the earth. They're so big, they simply dwarf everything in sight. And everything that's dull and plain, everything that's ordinary, just gets bathed in its wonder.

I never really knew how beautiful the world was. But you always did, didn't you?

You once told me that whenever you missed your old home, all you had to do was look at the sky, and the light would eventually find its way into your heart. Just like you and your compass. Day or night, it didn't matter, you said. The light would always be there, one way or the other. At night, the stars would shine. If it rained, the rainbow would come. And if the sun shone, well, what's there to complain about?

I never said anything to you then, but I really pitied you. I thought you were such a fool to believe the world would always be good and beautiful and golden. I even reminded myself, "Hey, Vecchio, better not be there when the world crashes down upon him - it's not going to be a pretty sight."

How was I to know that you were the wise one, and I, the fool?

We've passed through the streets of Chicago thousands of times, seen the worst of what life has to offer. You've been through hell and back - first with Gerrard, then Victoria. You've suffered through my own betrayal of you, when I pushed you away with my blind hate.

And yet - you always had the light with you; it travelled wherever you went. You continued to forgive, continued to love. And you...

You ... lifted the darkness from my own life.

I never really thought about it, until I saw the clouds as I drove through the streets. Somehow, they reminded me of you and how you've changed Chicago, how you've changed ... me.

Do you know what the sky looks like, just before the sun allows the shadows to return?

Silly question, isn't it?

- The End -