Her eyes were wide open and glazed over, reflecting a sky she would never see. Her hands rhythmically traced over the grass, feeling the earth beneath her fingertips. She pulled up a clump of rich, dark dirt, letting it slip through her fingers slowly like an hour-glass. 
"The soil is rich here," she said, eyes unfocused, but pointed towards the horizon. 
"Yeah," I said. She turned, looking at me. Her eyes were slightly left from me. "There's a farm over there..." I pointed, then embarrassed stopped, bitting my lip. She smiled a little, pretending not to know I had just pointed. 
"What's it look like, James?" she asked, placing her hands on my chest and finding her way to my face. I stiffened, then forced myself to relax. I had seen this happen in movies, she was trying to see what I looked like. I closed my eyes briefly, savoring in the feeling of her small hands gently cupping my jaw. In spite of myself I blushed, and I knew she could feel the heat radiating. 
"It's... Um, small and red, as bright as the sunset." She smiled wider and let her hands fall to her sides. 
"What's the sunset look like?" she cried, clearly excited. I looked up quickly and back down at her. She would never know if I made it up, yet somehow I felt obliged, like I needed to do this for her. Like I needed to do this for me. 
"It's calming," I started. She settled back, resting against me, head on my chest. I trembled - she was terrifying, beautiful, exquisite. I continued, stumbling for the right words. "But yet... It's exciting, it make you want to do something, say something. It makes you want to laugh and run and cry and  smile." She beamed, blindly grouping for my hand. She found it and her fingers entwined with mine. "It makes you want to love," I added quietly. 
"Keep going!" she laughed after I paused for a moment. 
"The... The sun is like a ball of fire. I-it's romantic, inspirational... Unforgettable. It's rays seem... Friendly. Like an old friend waving goodbye. They simmer in the heat, like arms waving... It's like you know they're leaving, but you know you'll see them again soon." I stopped, embarrassed again. I was such an idiot... She probably hated me. I looked over, surprised - she was crying. Tears slipped from her cloudy blue eyes, rolling down her cheeks. Of course I made her cry, I just described a sunset with things she had never even see! Instead of just saying pretty I had to say it was like a fire? 
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry... I'm so, so sorry." Suddenly she grabbed my wrists, fumbling to find my chest, my neck, my face. Her pressed two gentle fingers over my eyes, closing them. 
"What do you see?" she asked. I was slightly taken aback, but I looked anyway.
"Nothing." 
"That's what I saw, too. I thought... I thought I would never enjoy a sunset, but I did with you." She pulled away and I opened my eyes, staring into her blind eyes. I will never forget her eyes, never.

#Summerofstories16