Treasure.

Ruby
I sit in a river
The water glides past me
It smoothly weaves  around my edges
I sit in the river
Small bits of gravel began to hit me
Covering me slowly
Denting the edges which were once smooth
I sit in a river surrounded
Shiny pebbles throw their gravel at me
They cover me slowly
Hiding me hurting me
I try to get into the current
In hopes the pain will wash away
In hopes the hideous gravel would escape
But it doesn't so I stay covered.
Children come to the river
They have buckets to collect
Two small hand dive into the chilling water
They grasp a hands full
Me within
The palms are warm and slick
They rap me and the pebbles together
Close
So close
She releases  us
I fall into an abyss of pebbles
 I continue to hear a repetitive clanking sound as the pebbles are plopped into the bucket.
Then the sound stops and we began to move.
We arrive somewhere
The palms once agin lift us up
We are set on the floor
Children surround us
I feel ugly for I'm still covered
Each child's hand misses me
They call out I call this one
I want that one
But I'm left untouched
What is that a child wonders
It's gross
The children pick me up
I'm tossed aside
Outcasted, alone
The children leave
I sit their still
Wishing to be back in the river
Steps thunder the floors
Small palms rap around me
Treasure she says
Her blue eyes gleam down at me
She show her parents
They tell her I'm worthless
She still says treasure
And takes me to a small room
Gently she washes me
Water from a small object pours
It drenches me
Slowly cleansing my edges
Smoothing all the jagged cuts
A towel rubs over me
Softly
Making me shine
The towel comes off
She screams
A loud howl
Foot steps pound up the stair
What's wrong the voices boom
It's treasure she says
A beautiful treasure
Light reflects  off me
Red hues cover the air.
The dust from the pebbles are gone
I'm a ruby
Because someone
Believed I could be a treasure
That I was more than just a rock.