Laughter

A joke is told. Laughter is born. It stumbles around at first, like a baby taking its first steps, but quickly starts to run around the room infecting everyone it touches. It pauses, albeit briefly, to catch its breath before racing around again. As it wears down it stops running and swims lazily through the air, allowing others to briefly indulge in its happiness and joy. And then it’s gone, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. You hold your breath, hoping it returns only to be disappointed. It’s truly gone. Only a distant joyful memory. You sigh and let down your guard, only to have it sneak up on you still wanting to play.