The sun rises from the east to the west.

Likewise the moon is born and reborn anew.

When it first comes around it's a celebration of birth but everytime else is just a delusion denying the inching towards death.

That was the poem my older brother gave me as my “gift”.

"So you like it?~"

"If you forgot you might as well as not get anything, its not like I care if you do forget."

"Well I was out fishing and you know how things are. Ahaha."

I felt the lie reaching from his lips.

"Happy birthday Viridian."

"Thank you Wanu."

It’s my 16th birthday but all I feel is a dread of what’s to come,the joy of my past meaning nothing as I discard it.

I’m old enough to leave home now.

"Come on, let's cut the cake!" My younger sister wailed as she tried to stop her drool from reaching the frosting.

"Oi,get out of there will ya! I'm coming, I'm coming."

I brought the knife to the very top of the cake.

The town usually eats cakes as rectangles but the exception is on birthdays.

"The fetus position resembles a circle." I heard myself mutter.

"Hurry up, I'm starving! I Eat Wanna!" My sister already had so much sugar she started mixing words, It even spread to me.

"Alright I'm cutting it! Here you go." I gave her 1/3 of the dessert , It's a day that only comes once so I had to indulge her.

My sister gorged herself on the cake. Until she got her sugar crash she kept yodeling on about the sky and how blue it was. Of course it was what else it would be.

The sea and sky look black at night. I have to give her credit sometimes. She’s still scared of the dark.

The sea…

My legs pushed without my command and my right hand swirled the handle of the door without my approval.

I wanted to run and hide and run and hide I did.

I needed to go home, I needed to go back to my mother to hide in her arms and cry until she told me it was going to be ok.

"Mother, where are you?"

She was gone with the cowardice that I envied.

The coward tried to hide from fate as she always did. But that’s ok!

It’ll always be the same. I will always love her.

I just wish I was strong enough so I could be with her.

…

I am home.

NO, I am not, I am at the edge of the sea!

When I was eight I got a fishing hook to scratch my eyes when I tripped.

I wanted to fish with papa so bad. All I ended up getting was horrible sight impairment.

Yet I am blessed that even that isnt enough for that decrepit to hide from me.

The Island that we wish was a dream.

Only showing on a new moon when a girl born here is called a woman.

That ‘girl’s’ birthday was on this black night.

It may come the next day,week,month, year or even that same day but

it’ll always arrive only to disappear with one of us.

"I love you mom." That's the first thing that came to mind when I accepted that a fate worse than death may come tomorrow.

To my surprise I saw a man looking at that island. Wait? Who is that?

"What are you doing here? Outsiders are not allowed,there's nothing here to come for anyways."

The man looked to be in his late thirties to early forties judging the loose grey sections in his hair. Despite this his face kept his shape quite well, He’s very h…Wait focus!

"Can I help you,if you don't leave right now I have to call the elders."

"Fish curry..." He looked longingly at the sea.

"pardon?"

"I would like to eat some fish curry of course. Heard you guys
made a pretty lovely one."

"I guess ours is pretty good,though I wouldn't know what to compare it to."

"Well it doesn't seem like you get out much if at all."

"What was that-"

"But you should be more confident lass, if you don't have anything to compare it to then it's already your best."

"I guess so...wait here sir'"

"Hmm?" I ran back to my house to get some leftover curry in our fridge. Luckily everyone was so busy celebrating my birthday they didn't even notice me.

"Here you go." As the 'o' left my lips his mouth dug into the bowl.

"Thankohjd Yourea liftghvser" My crush was on life support with decreased survival by 99% from watching him eat with his mouth full.

Wait, now’s a good time as ever to see if that folktale was true.

"Can you see that?" I pointed to the island.

"I can see the sea,yeah."

"No that!" I pointed to the silhouette of the island.

"M' bit blind at my age dear."

"Oh never mind, it was probably just the fog." Guess they were right that only women could see it. Makes sense considering we're the only ones who go there.

"Is that so? Well, it's getting late. I suggest you get home before it gets too dark."

"It'll be fine sir."

"Are you sure?"

"On this island what when you leave doesnt make a difference."

"Is it that secure? I have to say I'm a bit jealous."

"You could say that. Now, just run home i'll be fine."

The man nodded and took his leave.

"Take care now."
"I will..." He was gone.

But the waves of the ocean remained.

I looked back into that poem my brother gave me.

The sun rises from the east to the west.

Likewise the moon is born and reborn anew.

When it first comes around it's a celebration of birth
but everytime else is just a delusion denying the inching towards death.

And my death was born.