“Vicky! C’mon, hurry!” Emily’s voice drifted in the wind as the two sisters
raced through the forest, leaves crumpling beneath their shoes and the buzzing of animals
resounding in their ears. Vicky gasped as Emily turned around. “Gosh, you are so slow! Hurry
up, before it gets away!”
“Emily! Now’s not the time to joke, we have to get back to mo-” Vicky’s voice
shrank into silence as she stumbled back, her eyes wide. Emily jumped as a huge shadow rose
from the tree above them, and beamed as if she were greeting an old friend. Perching on the arms
of the tree was a towering butterfly. Its presence cast darkness on the forest floor, but through the
sunlight that leaked through the leaves, Vicky could make out the insect’s wings. They were
electric blue, covered in lines of black that spread across them, shades and wrinkles
blending and molding into its body like embroidered patterns on silk.
An invisible fist clenched Vicky’s heart. In the glassy, scoped eyes of the butterfly,
Vicky could see herself and Emily staring back. She watched as her face melted from terror into
awe. She blinked.
The creature was still there. Still existing. Still beautiful.
Wind suddenly whipped through the air, leaves and dirt flying as Vicky shielded her
eyes. The current died. When she opened them, the butterfly was gone. 
Emily turned to Vicky with a grin. “See?! I told you! I told you I wasn’t lying! I told
you!” She dragged Vicky upwards and then proceeded to do a victorious dance, her face covered
in glee, and her pigtails bouncing. Vicky stared up at the looming clouds, expecting the
butterfly’s return.
The only blue she could see was the sky.