The Last Day

by Zoe Schmidt,
Runner-up, Spring 2008 Writing Contest

The air wafted through the forest, its gentle breeze carrying Lisanda so that she barely needed to flutter her wings. The leaves of the many trees danced in front of her as she enjoyed the last day of her life.
Lisanda was a Luna moth. She had beautiful wings, pale green in color. Her body was white, and similar to how it had been when she was a larvae. There were circles on each of her wing sections, and they looked like tiny moons fallen from the heavens. Even for a Luna moth Lisanda was beautiful, a fantastic example of nature's great things.
Unfortunately, this crisp spring day would be Lisanda's last. She had known even before the dawn's first lights had come. It was impossible to understand how she had known. Luna moths are magical that way. Magical literally, some would argue. Indeed, Luna moths have sometimes been mistaken for fairies. And it made sense that today was to be Lisanda's last. True, she had only been on earth for little more than two months, but Luna moths hardly even ever live that long. So, Lisanda was going to make the most of this day.
Soon the trees began to clear into a small field. The air picked up and Lisanda fluttered her wings rapidly, going higher into the air. It carried her above the many flowers below, so that they looked like tiny speckles of blue, yellow, red, orange, and green. Even for Lisanda this was a breath-taking sight, an event she would not have missed for eternal life or life past this day. The wind began to dwindle, until it was hardly there at all, yet Lisanda barely noticed, just kept going. The field eventfully began to give way to small buildings, just spread out here and there, in no particular order. The roads winded like black snakes below the moth, and she began to descend, curious of this new world she was entering. She was a little nervous, or would of been had she been a human, but kept flying all the same. She had never gone so long without her forest, without the green plants and trees she so loved. She would probably never see the forest again, and the thought saddened her. She fluttered her wings, descending a tiny bit.
The air began to grow hot as afternoon came. Tired, wings going only feebly, Lisanda dove towards the ground. Finally she caught a pleasant breeze to carry her. She felt weak, so it was good to rest.
After she regained strength she lifted her wings to fly, majestic as if nothing had gone wrong. She flew to a about six feet above the ground, not daring to fly higher in case she fell. Lisanda danced through the air over a small wooden fence, and immediately was filled with strong joy. For all about her were beautiful flowers, and even trees. She flew around, diving and looping, so blissful, until her antennae flicked and she realized what was near her.
To Luna moths, the thing beside her was a giant beast, with razor sharp claws that tear through wings. They are the things of legend, told in tales of death. To humans, it was a cat.
It was only a young cat, looking for play after being kicked into the garden by its humans. So when it spotted Lisanda it pounced toward her, wanting to play. To Lisanda, this was no game.
The moth flitted away, but the cat pounced again, claws stretching into the air. Lisanda darted and dodged, but the cat was in heavy pursuit. Lisanda was going to die today, yes, she knew that. However, she did not want it to be some violent death in the paws of a cat.
The beast snagged Lisanda's left wing with one of its claws. In pain and rage, she managed to pull away and soar over the fence. She was weak and close to death, but still she flew. Eventually she spotted another yard, and landed with such grace one would never have guessed she had an injured wing.
The clouds above her were lined with a pale pink. A crow called in the distance. She glided to a tree and rested vertically on its trunk. There she rested, so quiet, barely moving, happy to end her life in this peaceful way.
The sun soon set, spreading colors of red, orange, purple, and oh so many, through the sky. The world was at peace. Some where in the distance a crow called. Night was coming, to drench the world in dark. The colors began to seep from the sky as the sun hid behind a hill. It was the perfect end to the day. And to Lisanda's life.