Moestie dropped his bucket. He lay flat on the warm sand to watch the clouds drift by.
The wind ruffled his hair. It smelled like salt and sea spray. Moestie closed his eyes and waited for the quiet.
He sat up and brushed sand from his knees. Looking around, he felt restless in the stillness. The waves roared loudly nearby.
Suddenly, a flash of blue wings fluttered down. A colorful butterfly landed softly on his outstretched finger. Moestie froze.
He held his breath. The butterfly crawled onto his bright red shirt. Sunlight glinted off its wings while seagulls cried overhead.
Moestie smiled widely. He reached out a trembling hand but stopped just before touching it. He wanted to keep it safe.
The butterfly lifted off and danced in the air around his head. It spiraled upward toward the sparkling water, leaving a trail of fluttering motion.
He watched it go toward the sea. Moestie stayed perfectly still, enjoying the quiet moment with the dancing wings fading into the distance.