ᴇᴜᴍᴏɪʀᴏᴜꜱ

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞 -𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬-

The dirt crunched under my feet, my legs moving in rapid succession as I willed myself to go faster. The trail I was on was unkept, the grasses lapping at the edges as if the forest was threatening to take its land back. I bounded over a fallen log, a gleeful laugh escaping me as I landed on the other side.

Rays of mellow sunlight filtered through the verdurous canopy, penetrating through the leaves and casting an unearthly green–gold luminescence over the ground. A muddy brown hare scampered out of the way, flashing its fluffy white tail in my direction as it did. My breath came out in a white puff, the morning air nipping at the exposed skin on my face and arms, which only compelled me to move faster.

Ahead there was a break in the trees, and I rushed toward it, only slowing when the sun's warmth greeted my skin. My heart pounded against my ribs, and I breathed in, filling my oxygen-starved lungs.

When I had gotten enough air, I wiped the sweat on my brow with a satisfied sigh, my feet moving to the ledge only a few feet ahead. Unsecure rocks tumbled off the side as I got closer, signifying the deathly drop below me.

Most people would be afraid, but I was unfazed, sitting down on the edge of the cliff.

The rising sun lit up the dense forest, basking the pine trees in a stunning golden glow. The trees looked no bigger than toothpicks from this height, and in the distance, I could make out the faraway image of the village. I squinted in an attempt to see my parent's farm, but it was too far, and I quickly gave up.

Even though the sun had barely awoken, I figured Will was already working away in the fields, probably picking the season's last crops. I imagined Emma had opened the Bakery, and I took a deep breath as if trying to smell the mouth-watering pastries from here. The smell of pine and dirt filled my nose instead, and I shook my head, finding amusement in my own behavior.

Coming up here had become a daily routine, and even though I wanted to stay under the covers some mornings, I forced myself to get out of bed for this view. There was an unspoken beauty in seeing everything I loved and cared about from a distance. It made my hometown seem so small and insignificant, and I longed for the day I could explore the world past Jamanakai Village.

Should I do it? I thought, leaning my body closer to the open air. My hair, white as the first winter's snow, was bound in a loose ponytail, and the thin tendrils that framed my face whipped aimlessly in the powerful winds along the cliff. My heart thumped in anticipation as I tilted further, my body on the farthest edge possible.

It was like I was on a tightrope. My balance would only have to falter for a moment, and I would fall, plummeting to the unforgiving grounds below. The guilt rushed up my spine, and I stopped, eyes flickering to the village in the distance.

Mom would get mad if she found out. I thought. I dismissed any lingering doubt I had with a shake of my head, and I pushed myself forward.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as gravity pulled me downwards, and I couldn't stop the laugh from escaping me. However, I couldn't hear it over the wind that screamed around me.

The trees, which once looked like toothpicks, became larger by the second, and I outstretched my arms on either side of me like I was flying. Just as the ground was becoming too close for comfort, my hand wrapped around my wrist, covering a small silver bracelet. In one twist of my fingers, I removed the jewelry and was engulfed in a blinding ball of light.

A tingly, almost burning sensation flared across my shoulder blades, and my back became heavier as wings, usually hidden away, appeared. My journey to the hard rock below slowed, and with a heavy downstroke, I was shooting back upwards. A whoop of joy escaped me as I darted past the ledge I was on only moments earlier, pushing against gravity to go higher.