A small, fluttering movement catches my attention, and I slowly open my eyes. A monarch butterfly floats down from the dark sky, its orange-and-black wings illuminated by the moonlight. It’s surreal, like something out of a dream. I watch, mesmerized, as it drifts closer, landing delicately on my knuckle, its wings fanning out, soft as silk against my skin. For a moment, the world seems to still, and a strange, quiet peace washes over me. My breath steadies, the tears slowing. I shut my lids again. This time, it’s not out of pain, but something gentler. For just a moment, I feel okay.
