• A child, of only 10 years, gathered at a park one afternoon with his friends. The wind wasn't really harsh and the sky not so clear. They would hang around an old oak tree their parents used to take them to when the tree was just a sprout. The sound of the birds singing and the sight of the leaves dancing were always expected near this humble, oak tree.

    As the children laughed and played, a gust of wind hit their senses, and as the boy opened his eyes, he had discovered a place of true nature, a place where no other eyes could seek. But it was strange. He felt a familiar presence: his beloved oak tree. Though, something had changed. Like- it was a place of serenity, yet fear; safety, yet caution. What was the thing that was disturbing his peaceful thoughts? No one was around, yet somehow, it felt as if there was.

    The boy wandered about the oak tree, as well as the grounds securing it. He searched for hours, but nothing. He was in the moment of doubt, till a glistening object caught his eye up high in the tree. The gleam actually came from a ribbon tied to one of the thinner branches. The ribbon rolled with the flow of the wind. Nice and brightly shiny, the fabric was. The sun had caught the true beauty of the ribbon as soon as he drew his hand towards it. As his fingertips reached to untie the bow from the branch, it started to change color, like leaves during the fall or a shower of a rainbow—from neon to pastels. Green, blue, pink, orange- to the final color of yellow.

    When the ribbon was released, the figure of a butterfly appeared as a substitute. The boy was astonished and speechless at the colorful beauty that flew away.

    Nickelodeon, his friends jokingly called him, opened his eyes from his last blink. His friends stood right in front of him, curious to know what was in his hand. He rolled his fingertips away from his palm, revealing the glistening yellow ribbon, wrapped around his ring finger. Nick smiled, realizing that what he witnessed wasn't a fantasy but real.

    As for his reply to their confusion—it was simple, “Magic.” And again, Nick untwined the ribbon from his finger, setting the transfigured butterfly free.

    And its reply of gratitude, “Thank you.”