First communion: 5

The garden wall collapses to a pile of stones. Tiles slip off the roof. Vines cover the windows. She wakes up in the purple flower of darkness. Everyone else is asleep or pretending to sleep. Her world has fallen apart but still she wakes up. Candle smoke rises toward the untarnished stars. She wishes that she could burn up in a candle flame and rise to the clouds to wait for hope.