Lunch was delicious. There were cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, hummus and pita, pink lemonade, ambrosia. They ate with relish amidst fits of giggles, the warm sun caressing their faces.

"How about a walk?"

Soft earth sticking to their shoes, they meandered through the forest, careful not to catch their long white skirts on stray branches. A collection of Dame's Rocket had begun. The search for more of the purple flowers led them further east than they expected. And soon there were no more in sight. They continued on, regardless; it was a lovely day.

Up ahead in the distance was a large cluster of the flowers. They raced towards it. One tripped on an exposed root, the other helped her up. The cluster was revealed to be just inside the very sharply defined tree line. A question of civil engineering applications in nature. Likely a coincidence.

Beyond the woods a great sky was visible. Ice-blue, cloudless. And the sounds of water gently slapping the shore. They emerged from the forest, overcome with awe. So much blue had never existed before. Transfixed, they walked towards the water. Towards the possibility of more beauty. More peace.

And just at the edge of the water, the crunching underfoot that had accompanied this last part of the journey was suddenly revealed to be a series of carcasses. And the awe transformed to sudden loneliness.