Flight

Written June 09, 2008

The earth was cool beneath her bare feet. She could feel the moisture in the soil as she strolled leisurely through the grassy field. A playful breeze danced with her hair and sent blossoms from a nearby tree whirling around her. She lifted her face to the sun, reveling in the warmth caressing the front of her simple cotton shift. The melody of a babbling brook bubbled steadily nearby. Sunlight kissed her creamy skin and scattered diamonds along the playful water.
A small bird landed on one of the long stalks of surrounding flora, bending it gently, and gazed at the woman inquisitively. The woman smiled; the bird took flight, bursting into the air. As if on cue, half a dozen other birds appeared, jettisoned into the sky, from their homes in the grass. She spread her arms out, envious of the small creatures' freedom. She closed her eyes and ran blindly, the wind indulging her whimsical desires with a pretense of soaring through the air.

She was pulled out of her private reverie by a voice.

"Showtime in 5 minutes, miss."

She opened her eyes to see a heavily made up woman in the looking glass before her. She sighed shallowly, constricted by her corset, forcing a smile out of her dour expression. She stood up and walked out of the dressing room, her shoes pinching her feet, the several layers of her skirt fumbling around her legs.

The roar of cheering greeted her as she walked into the harsh lights of the stage.

Outside, a bird, startled by the noise of the crowd, launched itself off the side of the theatre, and flew off into the muggy London afternoon.