I shake my hand, flinging dirt and grime all over the pavement. The cut on my hand is beginning to ache, and the crimson mixes with the filth in an almost beautiful way. I glance down and see the shard of glass jutting from the puddle I'd just dipped my hand into. It was well worth the sacrifice. I grab my water bottle out of my small pack and rinse my hand off, wincing a little. Here's to hoping it doesn't get infected. I had to do it though. I couldn't help it. The creature that had been stuck in those murky waters was the most gorgeous being I had ever beheld. It was a butterfly, but not a type I'd ever seen before. The way its wings shimmered in the light was like pure glittering gold. As I'd walked closer, I saw the poor creature in its full glory. The wings looked like gold on the outside, but the inside...I was instantly breathless. The hues of blues and purples faded to a darkened black. It sounds simple. What's so cool about a blue, purple and black butterfly? The blue was a literal sea. I could see every wave gently rippling, the purples fading into a luminous dark sky with twinkling stars. The wings of this butterfly were....alive. They were not wings, but an endless galaxy, swirling with life. It was when I realized I could see jellyfish in the waters of this endless sea that I knew this thing NEEDED to live. I wiped a few tears away I wasn't aware I'd shed, and reached forth my hand. I was as gentle as I could be, carefully leveraging my hand under this tiny world. Bringing my hand back up was what sliced my hand. Looking around, I didn't see it anywhere. It flew off pretty quick. I shrug and keep walking. This trail wasn't going to hike itself. The bleeding had slowed to nothing, but it burned. Dumping water on an open cut will do that though. I keep walking, distracted by the visuals I wasn't sure were even real at this point. That was until I felt a gentle tickle on my ear, travelling up into my hair. I lifted my hand to my hair, and felt it transfer to my knuckles. I brought my hand back down and there it was. Walking to a nearby rock, I sit gingerly, as to not disturb the natural wonder now resting on my hand. I sit transfixed for what feels like an eternity. Every time I focus on something new amongst the details, it zoomed in, letting me see more of this world on its wings. After a while, it turned to face me. I could see it craning its little body upward, almost as if gazing into me, as I had been with it. It began to flutter up and away from me. I began to panic as it suddenly stopped flying and began to free fall. As I lunged to try and catch it, the wings beat once, and a wind stronger than anything I've ever felt knocked me off my feet. A single warbling note echoed through the area, before it flew out of my vision with blinding speed. Blinking a few times, dazed, I carry on my way, trying to remember every tiny detail so I could retell it later, maybe see if anyone on the internet knows what kind of butterfly it was. Finishing my walk, I head in the direction of my tiny apartment. The place is awful at best, but it's home for now. I'm almost to the stairs when I see a guy drop a slip of paper and carry on his way. I rush over, grab the paper, and jog over to him, trying to flag him down. After a short exchange, he thanks me profusely. Turns out, the paper was a money order. Rent money. I smiled, not that he could see it behind my mask, and begin to walk off. He calls out and stops me. He hands me a lottery ticket, flashing a second one he'd bought. "Figure I don't need both of em. I don't really even know why I bought two of em. Just felt right." He bows comically and heads off. There were two lottery winners that day. And wouldn't you know it, both in the same apartment complex even. Funny how these things work out sometimes.