The Little Paper Wing

I nudged the side door open just enough to slip through, quietly stepping down the stone stairs to the courtyard path. Tucked beneath the shade of the low brick planter, resting on a patch of velvety moss, was a papery, translucent seed pod shaped just like an anime fairy wing. I knelt softly onto the cool earth and scooped it up with both of my hands, being extra careful not to bend its fragile edges. When I held it toward the bright afternoon light, tiny intricate veins glowed like delicate silver ink. Finding something so small and pretty out here made my chest flutter with quiet wonder.