Rise

She took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders, clenching her fists at her sides and bouncing on her heels as she stared at the edge of the cliff. She looked back over her shoulder at her sister and their friends. No, her family. They were battered, barely holding each other up, but they stood together the way they always do. Her sister had tears in her eyes, but there was fire there too. Fierce pride, and so much love that she felt tears gather in her own eyes. Her sister wiped a bit of the blood that had begun to run into her eye and smiled, giving her a firm nod of affirmation. She smiled back and turned back to the edge of the cliff.

She took another deep inhale, holding the cold air in her lungs.

She took a running start, arms pumping at her sides.

Then she let the breath out in a cloud of vapor, and dove off the cliff.