Months later, the colorful leaves had fallen to the ground, forming a messy pile outside her window, obstructing her view. She wondered how her tree felt to be this bare, and she wondered what comes next in this crazy world. It seemed so stark, a tree with no leaves, just the branches empty of what once was. She closed her eyes and tried to remember a time when she understood the novelties of naked trees.

She spun around with her head high, staring at the fluffy clouds with wonder as she was hit with bursts of cold. The trees around her were empty, their golden leaves gone. She was bundled up in her layers to keep her warm on the frosty day. She could barely hear her mom’s voice telling her to slow down so she doesn’t get dizzy.

When she opened her eyes again, she was brought back to her dark room. Her memories would return in flashes, much like this one, making her question which life this was. She glanced out of the window and found delicate flakes coating the ground. Snow, she thought. Winter’s here.

How many winters has it been in captivity? She had lost count over the years, but felt at peace watching the snowfall. It was intriguing for her to watch the flakes fall to the ground. There was something about the way it calmed her, that made her want to keep going. It made her forget all of the lonely days stuck in this room. Though her window was small, it provided just enough light for her to clearly see the shapes of the snowflakes and the tree outside, whose branches were no longer stripped, but now coated with fluffy dust from the clouds.

She lay on the ground, her back soaked through and watched the flakes fall toward her. Her mouth was open so she could try to catch the snowflakes, something her mother had told her not to do. But she didn’t care.

The snow was falling pretty heavily — would it stick and cover what was left of the grass? Or would it disappear, just past her window?