Every time I looked at the photo on my desk, something inside it had changed.
It was a picture of the old playground by the creek. The day we took it, the swings were empty, the slide was shiny, and the sky was clear blue. I kept it in a simple frame next to my lamp. I appreciated the calming effect it had on me.
On Monday morning, I noticed a red kite in the photo. It was stuck in the tall oak tree. I blinked. I had never seen the kite there before. I touched the glass. It felt cool and normal, but my stomach felt tight. I set the frame down and went to school.
On Tuesday, the kite was gone, but there was a chalk drawing near the sandbox. It was a big smiling sun with eight rays. It looked fresh and bright. I had not drawn it, but I knew that chalk. It was the same box I had used last summer with my friend Maya.
On Wednesday, a kid stood near the slide in the photo. He wore a blue hoodie and held a soccer ball. His face was turned away. The kid looked like me from behind. I whispered, “Hello,” even though it was only a picture. I waited, but he did not move. Of course, he did not. He was inside the photo.
On Thursday, the creek in the picture was higher. The water touched the edge of the playground. The sky was gray. A small sign by the fence said, “Closed.” My chest felt heavy. Our town had a big storm last fall. The real playground had flooded. After that, they shut it down.
On Friday, the photo had a new shape near the oak tree. It was a little bench. On the bench sat a paper crane. Maya had loved folding cranes. She moved away in the winter. We did not get to say goodbye at the playground.
I finally understood. The photo was showing me pieces of my memories. It was telling me to visit the place and let them go.
On Saturday, I walked to the creek. The fence was still there. The swings were still quiet. I sat on the bench in front of the closed gate and took a deep breath. I said goodbye to the kite, the chalk sun, the ball, the storm, and the crane. My eyes stung, but I felt lighter.
When I got home, the photo was back to the clear blue sky. Nothing inside it had changed. I smiled. I had.