• There sits a man
    A sweet, humble man
    With a wife
    A son
    And a daughter

    They are a joyful, merry family
    With no ill intentions
    Or regrets from the past

    My life is perfect,
    Thinks the man
    A beautiful wife
    Who cooks and cleans
    A caring son who is strong
    And a lovely baby daughter
    With hair as fair as the bright morning sun

    A warm smile adorns his face
    For several perfect years
    And he feels as if there are no troubles at all

    Then on one dark day
    He finds his wife
    Lying on the ground
    Motionless and cold

    No! He cries in anguish
    Don’t take her away now!
    Not now!

    His young daughter hears his voice
    And walks toward him

    Daddy, what’s wrong?
    Go away! Don’t look!
    But Daddy –
    Go!

    She flees from his room
    Only catching a glimpse
    At her open-eyed mother

    During her funeral
    The man cannot stop his tears
    From flowing
    And staining his cheeks

    Daddy, where’s Mommy?
    His daughter asks
    She is young
    Only six
    Where’s Mommy?
    I can’t find Mommy
    Where is she?

    Mommy has been taken
    Where Daddy?
    To heaven
    Who took Mommy?
    The angels, disguised as red butterflies
    Why Daddy? Why?

    He does not answer
    His eyes are lifeless and dull
    His mouth is set in a deep frown
    His heart has been ripped in half

    Why?
    He is whispering
    Why, reaper?
    Why take my wife?
    Why take my children’s mother?

    He can hear His voice

    It was her time
    Said the voice
    Your time will come
    But not now
    Not yet…


    A year goes by
    The man is still grieving
    For the loss of his love
    His heart
    His soul

    His son is a young man now
    With a good job
    A home
    A wife
    Just like him

    Only now, there is no wife
    Why?
    He asks in a normal tone
    Why does my son have a wife
    while I do not?

    He hears the reaper again

    He is young
    He is strong
    But do not doubt
    That his day is not near…

    The man does not heed the warning
    He sits and mopes

    Three years go by
    Someone knocks on the man’s door
    He answers
    A woman stands there
    In formal clothing
    With a mysterious black case

    She pulls out a picture
    Holds it up to his face
    His eyes widen
    It is his son

    W-why do you have a picture of my son?
    His voice quavers
    He knows already

    I am sorry,
    Her voice is crisp
    Your son is dead

    His hands shake and twitch
    A lump grows stiff in his throat
    He can barely breathe

    His eyes close
    When? Where?
    He asks the woman

    He died yesterday
    In his home
    His wife has disappeared
    And his child is dead

    Why did he die?
    His voice is almost a scream

    We believe
    He committed suicide
    Because…
    The child was not his

    The man does not believe it
    He does not want to believe it
    It is only a nightmare
    He thinks to himself
    Only a nightmare

    Will I get to see him one more time?
    He asks quietly
    And my dead grandson?
    The woman nods slowly

    Tonight, his funeral will be held
    Again, I am sorry for your loss

    The woman walks away
    Her face is neutral
    And indifferent

    The man leans against the wall
    Unable to carry the burden
    On his breaking shoulders

    His daughter is with him once more
    To see another loved one die

    Daddy, where is my brother?
    My dear brother?

    Her father replies
    He was taken
    Like Mommy
    By the red butterflies

    The young girl looks away
    She is deep in thought…

    Another year goes by
    The man is sitting
    In his once pleasant room
    He stares at the wall
    Only his daughter remains

    He does not want to hear the voice
    Not again
    But the reaper is persistent

    Your time is coming
    But not soon
    Not yet…

    The man is wary
    He watches his daughter carefully
    She is a young teen now
    He never enters her room
    He does not know why

    One rainy day, while she is at school
    He gazes at his daughter’s room
    The door is closed
    And so are the secrets behind it

    I have not seen the room
    He says to himself
    After so many years
    I am sure she will not mind

    He opens it a crack and peers inside
    There is barely any light
    He makes the small crack larger
    His breath stops

    The walls are covered in butterflies
    Red butterflies
    And on the table
    One still flaps its wings
    It is weak
    Its attempt is feeble
    It is dying

    Daddy…what are you doing in here?
    He spins around
    His daughter is home

    Why are you in here Daddy?
    I told you to stay out
    Why didn’t you listen?

    Why do you have these on your walls?
    On your tables?
    And…
    He is horrified
    On your hands?

    Red butterflies were stuck
    On the palm of her hands
    And she opened them up
    To show him
    She is smiling now

    They told me to Daddy
    They were going to show me where Mommy is
    And my dear brother
    Aren’t you happy Daddy?

    He is not
    He runs from her
    Locks himself in his room
    His daughter still speaks
    He hears her voice

    Daddy, the butterflies say
    They will take you away
    Just like Mommy
    And my dear brother
    Then they will show me
    Where they are

    He shakes in fear
    His hand is on the dial
    He speaks quickly into the phone

    Help! My daughter has gone mad!
    He says loudly
    We are coming
    The person answers

    His daughter is taken away
    But he is too

    What are you doing?
    He yells
    His voice very coarse

    They shake their heads
    And put him in the car
    He does not remember
    He only sees black

    When he wakes up
    He is surrounded by white
    Nothing but a vast, blank whiteness
    He looks down
    His arms are strapped on his body
    His feet bound together in wraps

    He looks around frantically
    Looking for a door
    A way out

    Let me out!
    He cries
    Please, let me out!

    There is no reply
    Only his voice echoes back

    Then he hears the dreaded voice
    Oh, that horrible voice

    You are wary
    You are tired
    You are alone
    Do not worry
    Your time is coming
    Soon…very soon…

    He lies down
    Closes his eyes
    And begins to weep

    Days go by
    Months perhaps
    Or possibly a year
    He does not know

    He sees the same thing
    White
    He does not want to remember
    Anything else

    Then he screams in agony
    Why?
    Why have you done this to me?
    Stop it!
    Please, stop the pain!
    Give me back my wife!
    My son!
    My daughter!

    He wails endlessly
    His eyes can no longer see
    He can no longer hear
    Only his voice keeps on
    Keeps on…

    His cries die down
    To nothing but a hoarse whisper
    Then his heart
    No longer full
    Stops beating

    He lies on the white floor
    Cold and dead

    He is brought to the cemetery
    Where his wife lies
    And also his son

    Very few come to mourn
    They lay roses on his coffin
    But one leaves something else behind

    A person raises his voice in question
    What is that?
    A fair-haired woman smiles
    She replies calmly

    A red butterfly…