Autumn
Legacy Name: Autumns

Where Autumn Waits

I saw her last night, in a beautiful, vivid dream; one that didn't fade once I woke up. The air felt soft on my skin, like early morning. I knew I was dreaming, but I didn't mind. Calm light stretched across everything. I stood there, holding my breath, waiting for anything. I already felt a yearning in my heart, and I had a hunch of where I stood. When I turned my head, the next thing I saw confirmed it.

The Rainbow Bridge came into view ahead of me, long and wide, handcrafted wooden planks painted in every color of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The paint looked worn in the best way, scuffed by many paws and feet that had crossed before me. I stepped onto it and heard the wood creak under my weight, and it felt solid. Real. Below it slowly flowed a gentle creek made of shimmering light.

On the other side of the bridge waited fields that rolled on and on endlessly, green and open, dogs playing, chasing, carrying toys, or running through the billowing grass just for the joy of it. The sun shone high in the sky, warm, but never too hot. Rainbows arched overhead, and a breeze rustled the trees that were scattered about the fields.

Then, there she was.

Her russet fur catching the sunlight, shining like gold, tail going wild, ears bouncing, and wearing that goofy grin that always made me laugh. Autumn skidded to a stop and leaned into my legs hard, like she wanted to knock me over. I patted her bottom just as I remember she loved, and sank to my knees to wrap my arms around her neck in a hug. Her fur felt just like I remembered, thick, soft, and safe. She licked my cheek messily, and I laughed through a sob I couldn't hold back.

When I was a child, she was my everything. In a chaotic house full of shouting matches, broken glass, and slammed doors, she was always there for me when nobody else was. I'd rest my head in her furry chest while she sat there calmly, never leaving me. On nights I went to bed hungry, stomach growling, I clung to her and tried to sleep as she curled herself around my tiny body.

In the dream, we walked together along the bridge, and I held the red collar I once picked out for her, feeling the worn leather under my fingers, reading the faded lettering of "Best Friends Forever" on the inside. She looked back at me with her sweet brown eyes that were full of peaceful joy. As I clicked the collar back around her fluffy neck, though she didn't speak, I felt her communicate to me that this wasn't an ending, and that she'd find me again soon. I ran across the rest of the bridge as she bolted ahead, and I wasted no time in racing her to a huge oak tree.

When I awoke, my cheeks were wet, and my chest ached, but somehow, it was a good ache.