To Live- Flash Fiction 1

To Live

By Melissa Davis

It had been years since she had ventured outside, too afraid to feel the light since he had left her broken.  Every day she died a little more.  If she had just listened she would not have been trapped inside waiting for someone to rescue her.  If she went now there would be no turning back.

She opened the windows and looked at the world perched down below.  She glanced at the sun blinking through the clouds while she breathed in the fresh air blowing in her face.   This was it!  Time to take a chance and just let it go.

She opened her arms and dove.  When she thought her life was through the wind took over.  Her body soared through the air.  She felt its gentle touch as her spirit ascended.  She had not expected to be uplifted.  When she thought her flight was over, the wind blew her farther and landed her safely on the ground.  She could not help but feel relieved.  She had not expected to survive, only to end the suffering.  This outcome was entirely different.

“You’re safe,” a voice said on the breeze.

“Who are you?”  She asked it.

“I’m everyone and no one,” it responded.  “You’re free.”

“Free?  How can I be free?  He will hunt me still.” She replied.  Her eyes filled with tears.  She did not want to think about what he would do to her.

“Yes, he’ll try.  But you have an important task ahead of you,” the wind replied.

“Task?”  If anyone saw her talking to something unseen they would think she was mad.

“Live. Teach.  Grow.  Have courage to live through this moment and find a way to get free.  Teach others the darkness you have seen and to do more than survive it.  Grow into a woman who lives without fear.  There is much more courage in you than you ever realized.”

She closed her eyes as one last breeze blew across her face before everything was still.  When she opened them she was no longer sitting on a hill.  She was huddled on the floor looking up at him.  She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and lunged at him.  She would live.  Not one piece more of her would die tonight.  She took a deep breath and pushed at him with all her might, so hard that he fell over onto the stool behind him and cracked his head on the ledge of the table behind him.  She watched in slow motion as his head bounced on impact.  She looked at the man slumped over on the floor and put her hand to her mouth wiping her own blood away.  She picked up the phone, called for help and waited for the arrival.  It did not matter what happened next.  None of it mattered anymore.  She opened the window as she waited.   The wind blew gently on her face and it was liberating.