Sunset by Olivia Pezzullo

The sky's brilliant blue was fading into peaches and purples, casting shadows on the snow-dusted streets of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Sloshing through the snow a little girl came running down the streets, towards a small church, her steps more like stumbling with hysterical sobs emitting from her mouth, and gushing tears down her face. The girl burst through a small wooden door that was placed at the back of the church, now this door was only known by the little girl and the priest.

She ran to the priest, her little arms wrapped tight around his knees, she buried her face into the white robes of the priest, and sobbed into them. He patted her head softly and lead her to a bench and pulled her off him and sat her on that bench. “Now dear Catiya, take a look around.” he said his voice soft, she turned her tear-soaked face upwards at his words; every wall was covered with colorful stained glass-windows and due to the setting sun every surface was covered in a warm rainbow glow. Pieces of color falling over the whole room, it was as if you had stepped into a rainbow. The girls glossy eyes shone with the same light, covering her original brown eyes. “ The world does not always work against you my dear, for this around you is beauty in the purest form.” the priest said to her throwing his arms up in the air “Now let us pray for those who can not see this beauty.”

They knelt together, knees on cold stone, their hands placed under their chins. As they began their voices twined together and echoed off the high ceilings, bouncing from wall to wall, high and low creating the perfect harmony.