A thousand words and three cups of instant coffee later Gemma was walking down the freeing streets of the not-so-free town. The inmate number You-Need-To-Try-Harder was released at 15:30 standard terrific time from the correctional facility called 'No Matter How Hard You Work There Will Always Be Someone Who Beats You' and now was heading towards another correctional facility called 'No Matter How Hard You Work You Still Need To Clean Your Room Every Week'. Yup, you definitely know the place. But that was a bit unfair. No, her house was fine. Everything was fine. The weather was fine. The people were fine. Her life was...fine. But her house was indeed fine. However, there were these rules that made her want to salt everyone's tea. Salty much? Yes.

Gemma took a deep breath. Crisp autumn wind made its way into her lungs and relieved her of all the no's and don'ts of the day. If it were up to her, she would never change seasons. Constant autumn. Yellow. Red. Brown. Black. Green. Fresh. Crisp. Foggy. Rainy. Windy. Perfect. She looked up at the curly clouds which tried their best but failed to hide the bright blue sky. The ex-convict (what was she even convicted of? Best fashion sense in the class or best cheating sense at school?) felt like all the crap she had experienced that day was flowing away on the wings of the chill autumn wind. She closed her eyes and let the warm sun embrace her frowned face. Let the freckles consume the sunlight and photosynthesise it into serotonin. Because...why not? Are you a scientist? Even if you are, Gemma would make such a convincing argument that you would be demoted to a pre-Bachelor Degree in Stupidology. And the more you would argue with her, the more there is a chance that you would get a Doctorate.

After having a meditation session with the autumn wind in the middle of the busy street, Gemma finally opened her eyes and looked around. Boots. Cases. Ties. Hats. Coats. Gloves. Scarves. The street was bustling with people from all over the place rushing to the places from all over. What if one day I...? She hurriedly shook her head and took small steps down the sunlit street. She didn't see these pieces of somebody's life anymore. There was only her and the bright light that led her home.

It took Gemma around eight songs to walk from school to the park nearby her home. She pulled out a small blanket from her pastel pink school bag, put it on the dark wooden bench and quietly sat down. Autumn doesn't end with cool air and blazing sunlight. No, autumn continues with the sound of the wind blowing through the bursting kaleidoscope of autumn drops of colour, the smell of damp leaves paying their farewell to the gloomy sky, the fading chirping of feathery friends and the feeling of desperation that the son of the glistening light and fading beauty was clinging onto...Maybe the show would be renewed for Season Two? But that's not how the business is run here. The show is to be closed after a few months of running, so that a new one can take its prime-time place. Then another show comes and another one. After a few successful runs, they decide to reboot the old-but-good ones, but no one knows whether the show will be of the same, worse or better quality. Only Time will show.

Only Time will show. Gemma was deep in thought about a brave knight in shiny gold armour falling for a sombre facade of the lady in red only to find out...

Crack!

Whack!

Bam!

Aaaahhh!

Out of the blue (red and yellow and brown actually. Well, you get it) a fluffy cat with shiny sly eyes landed right on Gemma's fashionable school bag. A shriek of horror resonated through the park. And now looking at this cute creature Gemma couldn't help but laugh. She - a hidden ace of the school, a future Doctor of All Sciences and the bravest when it comes to music choice - got frightened because of this little ball of soft shiny fur? She looked at the cat and was surprised that it was looking back at her. In fact, quite intensely. This cutie was trying to intimidate Gemma? No chance in whatever the Hell is, this was going to happen. Gemma would never give up. She took pride in her bravery. If she were to live in the Age of Chivalry, she would definitely outrun the one and only - Arth...

GEMMA!

The sudden distant cry pulled Gemma out of her thoughts and made her take her intense gaze off the little furry friend. The brave girl turned her head in the direction of the soun...

GEMMA!

A small boy with a bunch of colourful leaves was running towards her. His unzipped coat was fluttering like a superhero's cape and his hawk eyes were fixed on his one and only target - Gemma. There was no doubt this boy didn't know how or when to give up. He was rushing so much that by the time he had reached Gemma, he was hungrily taking every breath of the fresh air. It was Harry. Her neighbours' son.

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'Harry, close your mouth and breathe through your nose. You can get a cold if you continue to breathe like this,' said Gemma in a soft voice.

The boy-who-was-happy-to-share-his-happiness-with-his-big-sister pouted and gave her a childish death glare. Gemma laughed for the first time that day. That little boy dared to challenge her as well?

'Gemma, why are you always like this? You are not a mamma, you are a cool sister,' whined Harry.

'I am. And your cool sister tells you to breathe properly because she is concerned about your health, naughty boy,' the kindest smile spread on Gemma's face.

'Ok, ok, look then. Breathe in...breathe out...breathe in...breathe...'

'Harry, no talking, just breathing,' Gemma cut the boy off and poked his shoulder. She looked at him fully content when he followed her order. He was a seven-year-old boy who had never failed to make Gemma smile. He was a genius entertainer, a gifted engineer of sandcastles and a proven champion of Serotonin Olympics. If freckles needed to process sunlight into serotonin, Harry delivered it straight. Harry was Mr and Mrs Beams' son. They were good neighbours who always treated Gemma to something delicious. Even though Gemma and Harry were not bound by flood, she considered the boy her family.

When Harry finally caught his breath, he gave Gemma a serious look and went on.

'Gemma, this is for you.' Harry was offering Gemma a bouquet of vibrant autumn leaves.

'I wanted to make fireworks with them but then I saw you and decided to gift them to you,' said Harry and dazzled Gemma with a genuine smile.

Gemma was startled. After a day full of condescending looks from people who are supposed to take care of your developing views on world matters and improving skills in solving this-will-get-handy-when-you-grow-up problems, every suppressed emotion was about to burst. The kind gesture from the caring little boy made Gemma forget about the rough day she'd had at school. She stretched her arms towards the bouquet when suddenly Harry jumped and with a sly smile on his small face threw the leaves in the air.

Yellow.

Red.

Crimson.

Mustard.

Moss.

Brown.

Copper.

The kids were surrounded by the falling autumn leaves . Harry was twirling around, jumping, laughing. He must be very happy at this moment. And this happiness was contagious. Gemma was falling down with laughter too. But she didn't want to get cured. No animals should be harmed. No medicine is needed for happiness.

Gemma held Harry's hands and started twirling with him. The inhabitants of the park seemed to enjoy the melody of pure joy and joined in with their singing. Gemma was elated. She looked at the bright blue sky. Different shades of brown, green, red and orange were still guarding the sky from the outsiders. Soon they would be gone and giant spiderwebs would take the task on themselves.

Finally Harry got dizzy and let go of Gemma's hand. To her surprise the little sunshine didn't catch a break and sprinted to the pool of fallen leaves to collect more of what-will-soon-become fireworks. Gemma was following the true sunshine with her eyes when something caught her attention. Something moved in the pile of leaves.

The cat!

It was the one and only Mr Sly-Eyes! Gemma squinted. This Mister was being suspicious. First, it fell on her bag, then stared at her and now it was trying to play with her? (Of course it was just a cat. It was probably running around and enjoying its second? third? first? life). Gemma made the quickest decision in her life - she was to catch that little bastard and...cuddle with it. The moment Gemma thought of it, Mr. Sly-Eyes wiggled its tail and started to run. Gemma focused her eyes on the fluffy target and followed it. She was an FBI agent and it was the runaway crinimal! She ran left and right and straight and back. This cat was challenging her and it was to never give up! This fluff will be in her arms pretty soon! Gemma was so absorbed into the whole chase operstion that she didn't notice how she ended up in the unfamiliar part of the park. Mr Sly-Eyes stopped. Out of energy? Gemma was not to lose a chance. She was creeping to the purry target when she heard a melody. Violin. The music was very quiet but you could definitely hear it. Where was it coming from? Gemma looked around but she didn't see anyone. Not a soul around. A cold shiver went down Gemma's spine. Where was she? She turned around. She didn't recognize the place. She was still in the park? Right? But she could swear she had never been there before.

A cat! Right! Don't lose your focus!

Vanished.

The melody kept playing.

There was a huge tree with the trunk as thick as a navy ship and as tall as a skyscraper. But this tree didn't have any intention of being closer to the sky, no, it wanted to hide it behind its vast and wide branches full of colourful leaves. How come there were no fallen leaves from this tree? The tree will not succumb to the Autumn. We will guard our fortress till the...

The melody. As Gemma was cautiously walking towards the Giant, the music got louder and louder. She was terrified. Not a soul around but the melody had to come from somewhere. Gemma looked at the little beads that covered the trunk. The ants go marching one by one... While quietly singing the song, Gemma slowly traced their path all the way up to the branches. The music stopped. Something moved. Someone moved.

A boy!

In the tree!

Gemma's confused look met the intense gaze of the stranger. He leaned forward, pointed a black bow at Gemma and with a canny grin on his face said,

'Oh, hi there! I thought you'd never come. Gemma, right?'