Feet off the Ground

Here's the most recent short story. It IS NOT part of my book. This is just a side story that I thought you guys would like. And it is Dedicated to Sis. Lorraine Pelkey. This is a story I wrote for her cause I said I would. Enjoy! :) Again this is not based on anything other than what came out of my head.


She was lost. But she didn’t care. The trees, tall and proud, welcomed her into their solitude. The sun was warm on her head and she lifted her face to feel it caress her cheeks and eyelids. She moved softly on bare feet over the forest floor, her long white dress disturbing leaves and dirt. Living here wouldn’t be so bad, she thought. When she made her escape she didn’t stop to think where she would go. Somewhere safe, peaceful, the only desire she had, seemed the very embodiment of this forest. It wouldn’t be that hard, she decided. She smiled, her pale rose lips parting to expose her white teeth. On a whim, she twirled, spinning faster and faster, golden hair fanning. She fell, laughing, full of joy that she had finally accomplished her long time dream.
And to think she had a monster to thank. If it wasn’t for the creature attacking her village, the people would never have thought of sacrificing her. It was because they had tied her out on the edge of the village that the opportunity came. Before the monster could even notice her, she had slipped out of the restraints and ran into the shelter of the forest. She was free. And this freedom was so sweet. It smelled like after a rainstorm or a freshly bloomed rose. It tasted like the first apple of spring or newly baked bread. It sounded like a baby bird of the rushing of a stream. Felt like mud between toes or goslings soft down. No rules except those of life. And those were a lot less restraining to her, than the ones imposed by the men and women of the village.
It took her a moment to notice that silence had taken over the quite chatter of the forest. It was as if someone had put a wool blanket over her head. Nothing moved. The hairs on her neck and arms stood up. Slowly, almost against her will, she looked up. Her blue eyes grew huge and her breath came in gasps. Scrabbling backward, she tried to distance herself from the danger above her. It was too late.
With a roar, it swooped. She was yanked into the air before she could scream. The dress ripped and she felt the claws dig into her flesh. Terrified of looking up, she looked down, and this time gasped for a different reason. Her fear was whipped away by the wind. The land below her was beautiful. Green and rolling, set with flecks of blue and brown, she felt like she could reach down and wrap it around herself like a blanket. In her last hours she was offered something no one else was: a chance to see what the world looked like from above. Spreading her arms in imitation of the wings above her, she closed her eyes and smiled. This was the perfect ending, a true escape. How could anyone be truly free without getting their feet off the ground?