With me in hand, the world glows

There are secrets under every stone

Mystery, wonder, and danger await

Under the surface of the lake

Without me, the cat stays alive

Yet in a gray void under the sky

Exploring and questions have no purpose

As though there were nothing under the surface...

He tightened his grip on my hand, and I turned to look at him, momentarily lost in the soft golden warmth that radiated off of him.

“You okay?” he asked gently.

I nodded.

“Yeah,” I said, giving him a genuine smile- those always came so easily around him, regardless of my mood- and leaning closer into his side. I relished his warmth as the biting cold from the people we passed seeped into my skin. ...