Emerald in the Rain October had begun to whisper of change. The forest was slowly surrendering its summer green to the colors of autumn, but beneath the cool October rain, one little cluster of leaves still held on. Each leaf shimmered with tiny drops, as though the rain had scattered a thousand jewels across their emerald veins. The air was quiet, the earth smelled of autumn, and for a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still. Soon, these leaves would fade and fall. But that day, in the gentle October rain, they were still emeralds in the forest, bright, beautiful, and beautifully temporary.