Waiting To Take Flight

Prologue

All characters and settings appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

PROLOGUE

                  The butterfly’s cocoon stirred slightly causing me to examine it even closer. The butterfly wiggled and twisted trying to make its way out of its cocoon, “Come on little butterfly you can do it,” I encouraged edging closer to it.

                  When it finally wormed its way into the world, the Monarch rested on a blade of grass as its heart pumped blood to its wings. I gazed down admiringly upon it and the creature was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. It unraveled its wings gracefully and flapped them preparing to take flight. With its wings stretched out, the full splendor of the butterfly was revealed. I watched as it continued to flutter its wings and wished that I could grow wings and soar through the immeasurable sky along with it.

                  Night increasingly conquered the day sky and I could hear the faint voice of my mother calling me to come home. I pushed myself onto my feet reluctantly. I wanted to stay in the field of wildflowers and butterflies forever. The field was the only place I felt like I belonged, where I really felt at peace. I gave the beautiful creature one last glance, “Travel safely, little butterfly.”

                   As I turned and began trudging towards my home, I abruptly collapsed to my knees feeling as if the weight of a thousand men had been thrown onto my small frame. An agonizing scream escaped me as the sensation of a ferocious burning crawled its way up my spine. I clawed at the ground desperately, clutching fistfuls of grass and refused to let go, hoping that I could somehow transfer the tormenting pain from inside of me to the earth. Just as suddenly as it had occurred the feeling expired, leaving my body limp and drained of energy. 

                  At hearing my dreadful outcry, my mother burst through the back door nearly taking it off of its hinges and ran through the vast field to my motionless form, followed by my father. My eyelids felt heavy and I could no longer stay awake. I needed to shut my eyes and allow the oblivion of unconsciousness take over. My mother would find me lying unconscious on the cold ground and wouldn’t believe what she was seeing. Out of my back sprouted a twin pair of strikingly beautiful wings. One wing was as golden as the sun’s rays and the other as silver as the full moon.