Autumn The sky was a beautiful, pale pink, the ground sprinkled with autumn leaves - red, orange, and gold. The girl looked up and sighed. She circled the forest, reluctant at first, but then as she got braver she became more adventurous, too. For the first time in years, she was free. Free to wonder, free to explore, free to think. Abruptly, she turned and lay down, her back on the golden leaves and eyes to the sky. She looked innocent but fragile; ignorant yet intelligent, with her muddy little-girl flowery dress, thick red wavy hair that lay spread out among the leaves and curious big blue eyes that didn't seem to sparkle anymore. BANG. She jumped up, and looked around. BANG BANG BANG. That's when she saw it. She blinked her big, blue eyes. Then the lights went out.