Hope

The jungle had become more violent than we deemed possible.

Yet here we were.

Without hesitation,

Wings unfurled, family and friends took off.

Wriggling my back,

I struggled to unfurl mine.

In the distance, the roar of the beast was heard.    

I rolled around, and fought with myself;     

 Still, my wings refused to budge.

Desperate now, fear taking up my vision.

I cried out and tried again.

Finally, finally my wings opened up.

Squatting a bit to propel myself upwards,

I jumped, landing exactly where I jumped.

Closer, the roar came with fire in its wake.

Panic had settled comfortably in my chest

Right beside the fear.

I could barely breathe.

Instinct kicked in, and I took off on foot,

stumbling often,

Doing my best to stay alive.

Hoping that one day,

miraculously,

I'll learn to fly too.