Fearless Flight And Fleeing Freedom

• Annalise Dwyer, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2018

Devilish damnation and swirling storms. This is the reality of the sad, hopeless world that I’m confined in. Trapped in my mind and secluded from society, I’m different from the rest of them. As I sombrely and slowly walk down the polished cobblestone streets of New Hampshire, the perfect faces of pale by standers, stare at me as I move past. My weathered and torn rain coat flapping at my sides, pulling the cool, icy breeze around me, consuming me, isolating me and leaving me for dead. I’m a walking corpse. Numbness and emptiness fill the dark pit that has become the broken pieces of my soul.

I have never felt so alone. Slowly edging closer to the rocky cliff face and ever darkening horizon, my mind is filled by nothing but screaming silence, daring me to keep moving. Feet dragging across the dewy ground, my stomach sends a shooting pain through me, I haven’t eaten for days. Beneath me the ground starts to sway and turn, my mind spinning and whirling as fast as the Earth that I stand on turns. Murky shadows creep out from behind old creaking trees, leaves dancing in the winds spine - chilling song, pushing me along.

Paralysed by icy gales, shooting up from the cliff face and over the muddy grass towards me, I’m forced to stand still. Motionless, my whole body screams at me, I’m so close. So close to freedom, so close to light, so close to flying. Fighting for control of my senses and movement, I managed to compel the frozen sticks that I call legs to take me closer to the edge. Shadowed ghosts wail in the dripping amber light of the disappearing sun. Fearless flight is where I’m headed, to somewhere, anywhere, that will take this never - ending pain away. Transfixed by anxiety yet numb with depression, an unforgiving paradox that doesn’t end or ease. I’m trapped in the cage created in my mind and all I have ever wished for is to be released. For as long as I can remember I have been sentenced to this life of misery, sadness creeping over me like a storm cloud preparing for thunder, ready to strike me with lightning at any moment.

Finally I’ve made it. With my cut up and dirt covered toes hanging over the edge of the rocky cliff face, ruthless waves crash beneath me, calling me home once more. For months I have imagined this, unable to find anything else that could bring hope into my mind. The howling wind rushes around my thin figure, pulling my hacked, tick infested hair behind me. This moment, this single compilation of seconds, is so much more perfect than I ever could have imagined. I am standing on the threshold of freedom with no one to take it away from me. Shakily raising my filthy arms, my toes curl around the edge. I’m really going to do this. A flightless bird fleeing for freedom. I jump, engulfed in nothing but peace… forevermore in peace.