Moonlight

I could see a patch of walkway from my window if I climbed on top of my window and pressed myself against the cold glass. A small patch of concrete lit by pale fluorescent light from the carpark next door, framed by a narrow strip of navy sky. If I was lucky, I might even be able to see a star or two.

Quite often, I would curl myself up into this uncomfortable position. Shivering in light clothes, I would pretend that I could see him below me, standing on that narrow patch. His shadow would fall, stretched into comical proportions, against the gently sighing bamboo. I would pretend that he would stare up at me, smiling at how silly the smiling moons that adorned his lady love might've seemed. Since when did princesses in towers dress in pyjamas?

But more often than not, it would be cold. The pane would chill my fingers and even the prickles of light beckoning to me from their narrow home could not coax me to stay. Then, the curtains would be drawn open, the pillow propped against the edge of the bed and the pale fluorescent lighting would try to pass itself as bleaching moonlight. It sometimes works. Sometimes doesn't.

I saw a bright, full blue moon once. It's light made everything as bright as day. My shadow fell. Jewels seemed to lock the moonlight within their silvery depths. The jade necklace seemed luminous in its own right. Magic. I saw magic. The road was paved with ivory. The clouds were lined with silver, as were the rooftops. The trees were full of fairy lights flitting in the gentle breeze. No more pretending.
The moon called to me, pulling me from my little matchbox house. The walls seemed immaterial, like I could melt right through if I so wished. The hand on the door seemd foreign, but the lock would not turn. The spell broke as soon as I left the moon's rays. I could only bask in light filtered through glass.

When day had dawned, nothing remained of last night. The ground was sitlll concrete. The bamboo still stringy and worn. The carpark still stood with its fluorescent lights. Nothing called to me.