TIME

The tiny stone danced across calm water darkened only by a setting sun.

It skipped fast once, three, five times or seven – too quick in the end to count, with each skip shallower and shorter than the preceding.

Then the stone was gone altogether.

There was a draft of air, cool and dry that swept her shoulders and enveloped her.

Looking down at her submerged feet beneath the warmer water, she saw only her own reflection illuminated by a bright star high above her head.

She smiled in contentment, fully at peace and pondered time.

Where had it all gone?

Memories flooded past her in a flash of reel both slow and fast. It was not chronological nor was it choreographed by any discernible reason except each frame was distinctive, important, crystal clear and beautiful.

Somewhere to her left, in the shadowed darkness just beyond the dim illumination of the light, she heard a fish rise and slap the surface.

Seconds later she felt the soft gentle thumps of bait fish running through her ankles as they hugged the shore in safe haven.

Perhaps, just perhaps, time had gone nowhere at all.

Looking towards that distant star directly overhead she smiled, closed her eyes and was ready.