Terraria: Another Day Under the Glass

Welcome to Terraria

Prologue

Cade takes my hand. He holds tightly, engulfing it easily in his palm, refusing to release me, even if I wanted him to.

I don't.

That hand represents everything. Security and stability - it anchors me, even if I scream, protesting for a freedom we both know I have no desire for.

I tell him as often as I can that he's not Father, that he can't control or mold me into his ideal image.

I never tell him, however, what he is.

I never tell my brother that he is the only thing that keeps me grounded, and keeps me and my fragile psyche from leaving this world far behind.

With each step, I feel as though I am leaving the ground, running recklessly down the manicured path, its surface relenting just enough to absorb the pounding of countless children's feet, through trees whose imposing height has been the source of legend, whose mere existence has inspired countless tales of their sinister plot to snatch children, separating us from our families, forcing us to join their wooded ranks.

They tower on either side of us, and though we both are far past the age for immature tales of abducting trees, we consciously avoid them nonetheless.

Rumbling between the trees, playing along with the notion that one may grab us at any moment, I laugh, stumbling a bit as I try in vain to keep up with Cade's much stronger legs. Seeing my struggle, he laughs too. We both do our best to exist in our ignorance.

"Keep up!" he says.
"You know I can't."
"Not with that attitude."
He stops suddenly tossing me over his shoulder. As annoyed as I am

at being treated like a child once again, I feel safe, if only for a brief moment. I hold tight to avoid the possibility of meeting the ground in an unwelcome way. He, on the other hand, doesn't seem to struggle at all with

my spindly limbs bouncing haphazardly with each stride.
This strength is not what reassures my faith in him. No. In our society,

the benefits of physical dominance are down played. Although Cade is quite imposing to look at, the strength that endears him to me is that of his heart. Cade takes care of me, no matter how hard I protest against it. He accepts responsibility for me when no one would blame him for not doing so. He has the strength of Father. Though he'd never accept that to be true.

We suddenly emerge from the trees into the clearing where the

glistening crystal waters stretch as far as the eye can see. The silvery mass spread out before us makes us seem small in comparison. The world, reflecting onto its surface, speaks to our insignificance, welcoming us to be a miniscule part of its life-giving existence.

I see so much reflected in that water. I see our lives and the lives of our ancestors. I see the history of the human race resting in the depths of the rippling flow. And as we get closer, I see the innocence of our childhood and all the time spent here.