[ WP ] A child tells you one day , '' Mother Earth has a fever . Her temperature will rise until the sickness dies or she does . ''

You meet the most interesting people are at the park. Phil loved it. The sights, sounds, smells. He also loved the third park bench from the fountain. It had perfect lighting. He was finishing a piece he planned to name `` The Baglady'' when a tiny poke nudged his arm. He peered though a cloud of pastel dust to find a beautiful little girl. 
 
 `` Hi,'' she said, knocking her knobby knees together, `` what's that?'' 
 
 `` A drawing,'' Phil gave her a light smile and continued putting in the final touches. 
 
 `` That lady?'' She pointed. 
 
 `` Yes'' 
 
 `` She's pretty'' she said with a giggle. 
 
 Phil looked back at the whole of his drawing. He was unsure of her age but the wrinkles and spots told of a hard life. Her clothes were soiled and torn, yet she did have a stillness in her eyes that had drawn Phil in. In a way, she was pretty. He smiled to himself. 
 
 `` Can I tell you a secret?'' she blurted out as she sat down beside him. He shifted his pencil box over and turned to put his feet on the ground. He continued working and she started again. 
 
 `` You like nature?'' 
 
 `` Yes'' he said without making eye contact. 
 
 `` She is sick.'' 
 
 `` Sick? What is wrong?'' He blew another pastel puff out into the air. 
 
 `` She told me she has a fever? Mother Nature is sick.'' 
 
 He furrowed his brow. The most interesting people, he thought. He scanned the playground beyond hoping to spot a searching mother or a concerned, scouting father. No such luck. 
 
 `` How do we make her better?'' he said, trying to sound uninterested. 
 
 `` She said'' she crawled up the back of the park bench and stood beside him, `` we need to leave her alone.'' 
 
 He shook his head at the silliness of it until he felt something new. It was n't a nudge this time. It was colder. He turned to look at her. 
 
 `` If we go away she gets better,'' she pressed the barrel of the pistol against his forehead. 
 
 `` What are...'' 
 
 `` Time to go away'' she smiled. 
 
 

