ChelseaBaclaan

JustForASecond
Motionlessandsoundless,thelandoftheforestremainsstill.Shininglightsreflect
againstthesmoothwater,notadisturbanceinsight.Thelightshinesuponthedarkland,shining
uponeventhetiniestcrevice.Smallnightanimalsawakenfromtheirdailyslumber,crawlingout
ofthedarkandintothemoonlight.Cricketsandcroaksechothestillland.Animalsrustleinthe
tallgrassblades,breakingthelandssilence.Darkcloudshoverthearea,bringinginacold
breezethattravelsthroughthenightair.Asingledropofrainfallsintothewater,creatinga
rippleoftinywavesthatcausesthewatertoshifteversoslightly.
Floatinginthedarkabyss,themoonshinesbrightlyinthestarrynight.Herdarkcraters
magnifyherblindingbeauty.Thousandsofconstellationsencompassthevastsheetofdarkness,
asifeachstarwerebeingembracedbythenightsky.Themoonproudlyflashedherlightonthe
somberland.Beautiful,elegant,andgentle.Shewastheembodimentofmaternallove,providing
lightforthecreaturesofthenight.
Thelonewolfproudlystandstallatthepeakofthemountain,gazingatthemoons
aestheticallypleasingbeauty.Themoonsimperfectyetperfectcraters,milesuponmilesofrock,
andhergentlesmilethatglimmersupontheland.Thewolftakesadeepbreathandcalmshis
heart.Heserenadesthemajesticmoonwithitssoothinghowls.Thesmoothmelodytravels
acrosstheland,awakeningtheslumberingnightcreatures.Themusicalsongreachesashighas
thesky.Thestarsdancetothewolfssong.Fallingstarsbrightenthedarksky.Themoon
chucklesatthewolf,herloyalfollower,whoneverfailstowelcomeherasnightbegins.

Despitethewolfsloveandadmiration,thefloatingmoonfeltanunnervinglonelinessin
thesky.Sheanticipatedthetimeswhenthenightskywoulddisappearintoday,waitingforhis
arrival:theSun.Hegallantlyarisesfromthecolorshiftinghorizon.Inmereseconds,theonce
darkandstarryskytransformsintoasherbetcoloredcanvas,displayingaspectrumofwarm
hues.Thesunsteadilyfloatsabovethemagnificenthorizon.Themoonblanklystaresathis
beautyinawe.Sheadmireshisenormoussize,muchbiggerthanher,andhisextremewarmth
thatstretchesacrossalllandthatcanbefelteveninthetiniestcreviceoftheEarth.Itisatypeof
warmththatshecanhardlydreamtopossess.Theonlythingsheiscapableofgivingthe
creaturesislight.Shegasps.Herbodyuncontrollablystartstodescendtowardthehorizon,asthe
sunbeginstorise.Themoondesperatelyattemptstoyelltothesun,buttonoavail,nosound
couldbemade.Notasinglevoicecouldbeheardfromthemoon,asshehadnomouthto
whispersweetnothingstoherbeloved.Cloudsbegintoformacrosstheoncestarrysky,asa
singledropletlandsontothestillocean,creatinganeverlastingripplethatextendedacrossthe
sea.Aroarofraindropsthenfollows,asthemoondescendsoffthelandsview.Theclouds
dissipateinamatterofminutesafterthemoonsdisappearance.
Thesunsraysoflightscoverthelandlikeanoverstretchedblanketofwarmth.His
overbearingpowerisfelteverywhere.Themorningdewdissipatesagainstthesunswarmth.The
creaturesofthenightscouratthesunswarmth,astheyhideintotheircrevices.Theycryasthey
misstheeverlastingbeautyoftheirbelovedmoon.Thedayanimalsanticipatethesunaftera
longnightssleep.Theysmileandcheerasanotherdayisaheadofthem.Gentleserenades
resonatethroughthelandasagroupofbirdsglideinthebrightsky.Thedaycreaturessprint

throughthetallgrassastheybaskinthewarmraysofthesun.Theyrelaxinpeaceasthe
minutespassby.
Thesunsmilesatthecheerfulanimals,thoughnomatterhowmanyofthemdisplaytheir
loveandappreciation,hefeltasifitwerentenoughforhim.Hefeltanoverbearingloneliness,
ashewastheonlybeinginthesky.Withnocloudsorstarstoaccompanyhim,thesunsonce
cheerfuleyesturneddark.Theonceshining,warmraysoflightthatspreadacrossthelandgrew
coldandbitter.Thesunlightreflecteduponthelandstartedtomoveawayfromtheanimalsuntil
itdisappearedalltogether.Theanimalsscurriedfrantically.Theygrewrestlessasthesunlostits
shine.Theanimalsconversedwithoneanotheranddecidedtostayupthatnight,inordertotalk
tothemoon.
Asthesundescendedtowardthehorizon,thewarmsherbetskyfadedintodarkness.The
suntookonefinalglanceatthecoldland.Hesighedanddisappearedfromthecreaturessight.
Ashedisappeared,themoonelegantlyroseintothenightsky.Hereyeswereglazedandempty,
fromhoursofcryingherselftosleep.Thestarsaccompaniedher,buttheywerentenoughfor
her.Thelonewolfhowleditsmusicalmelodyforthelonelymoon.Themoonattemptedtosmile
atherfellowfriend,butcouldntfindtheenergytodoso.Itshowlsweresooninterruptedbythe
cryofthefranticdaycreatures.Curious,sheinchedclosertotheanimalsinordertoheartheir
desperateplea.
Shequestionedwhytheanimalswerestillawake,warningthemofthedangersthatthe
nighttimemaybring.Onesmallanimalstoodonthemountain,shakingnexttothelonewolf.His
legstrembledatthesightofhisnaturalpredator.Animageofthesunflashedinhismind.His
loveanddedicationforhisbelovedsungrewstrongerthanhisfearofbeingeaten.Hetooka

deepbreathandcalmedhimself,reassuringhimofhismission.Hespoketothemoonofthe
sunsloneliness.Hedescribedtoherthesunssadnessanddespair,ofhisflickeringwarmththat
inconsistentlymanagedtowarmtheland,andofthesunsemptyeyesthathesawbeforethe
largesunsankunderthehorizon.Themoonlistenedtothesmallanimalsplea.Shesmiledsoftly
atthebrave,youngcreatureandthankedhim.Thetinyanimalexchangedasmileback,asthe
daycreaturescrawledintotheirrespectivesleepingplacesanddozedoffintoadeepslumber.
Themoonstaredintothestarrynight,contemplatingonhowtoshowherloveforthesun.
Oh,howshelovedhim.Shelovedhiswarmthandlightthatextendsthroughoutthelandwithout
fail.Shelovedthathewaslikeher,caringfortheanimalsoftheland,spreadinglighttoallfor
themtosee.Shelovedhiswarmth,butshealsolovedthesadnessandlonelinessthathefelt.She
lovedhisimperfectionslikethecloudydayshewouldbeunabletosharehiswarmth,despite
beingenormous.Shelovedhowbeautifulhewas,eventhoughnoonecouldlookathimtoo
long,withoutbeingblindedbyhislight.Howshewishedtofeelhiswarmthformorethana
second.Ifonlyshecouldseehimlongerthantheonesecondshegazesathimbeforedescending
intothehorizon.Themoonknewtheycouldneverbetogether,foreverbeingseparatedthrough
time,ofnightandday.Sheknewtheycouldnotbetogether,fortheanimalswouldsufferfrom
theirselfishlove.Despitethis,shelongedtoconveyherfeelingsofloveforherbelovedsun.
Themooncontinuedtostareintothestars,asanideapoppedintoherhead.Shequickly
arrangedthestarsduringthefinalminutesofhernightlyreign.
Herdescentcommencedasthesunrose.Sheonceagainbegantolowertowardthe
horizon,thoughsheheldnoregrets.Themooncontinuedtosmileasshegazedatherbeloved
sun.Thesunroseabovethehorizon.Hiseyesremainedempty,glazedoverashestartedanew

day.Thecreaturesofthenightthatknewofthemoonsplansdecidedtostayupinordertohelp
theirlonelymoon.Theyallformedtogetheronthehighestmountain.Theypointedtheirbodies
totherisingsunandhowledathim.Thedazedsunheardtheanimals,astheylookedtothesky.
Hiseyesshiftedabovehim.Hegasped.Abovehim,hesawtheskythatheobliviouslyignored
everytimeheroseabovethehorizon.Whoknewthatitwasaviewthathewouldcometolove?
Thestarsthatwouldsoondisappearwiththenight,shinedatthesun:Iloveyou.Thesun
quicklyglancedattheloweringmoon.Heattemptedtospeak,butnosoundcouldbeheard.
Despitethat,themoonknewwhathehadtriedtosay.Themoonsmiledatthesun,asshe
continuedtodescendintonothingness.
Asingledropfellonceagain,butthisdropwaswarm.Asitfell,themoondisappeared
completely.Thesunattemptedtocallforher,butcouldnt.Thestarsthatdepictedherlovefor
himdisappearedaswell.Thesunrosehighintothesky,shiningbrighterthaneverbefore.He
lookedforwardtothenight,whenhewouldbeabletoseehisbelovedmoon,evenifjustfora
second.