Luctor et emergo…

As the door closed behind me, I heard a flutter and felt a slight breeze across my face. I looked up and saw it perched on top of the fire extinguisher mounted to the wall across from me. It was exquisite. It was beautiful. As it sat there, a look of pride filled in its eyes, as if it had just accomplished some great feat. A sudden surge of energy raced through my veins. I felt an intrigue that I could not explain. It was like my name had been called, like I had been summoned to the front lines. I had to get closer. I had to see what it saw. But the moment I took one step in its direction, its entire demeanor changed. The aura of the room changed. I could feel its heart start to race with each step I took. Our eyes locked for a moment and a chill ran down my spine. As I reached out, it took flight. Frantic and timid, it swooped right and then left and then right again. I don’t think it felt the first few impacts, but by the third collision, the shock and pain could not be ignored. Glass on one side, mirrors on the other, there was no way out. It crashed into each, seeking a way out. Repeatedly, it smashed in to its own reflection in the mirror. ‘What is wrong with you?’ I wondered. ‘Why would you turn your back on freedom and only find solace in this anguish?’ With every thud, it felt like it was me who was crashing in to the mirrored walls instead of my winged companion. I had to stop it before it hurt itself. I tore off my coat, and tried to ‘shoo’ it, to no avail, through the open door behind us. Instead of seeking this freedom I so desperately tried to lead it to, it continued to stay its course, crashing from left to right. Thinking it must be confused, I sought to show it the error if its ways and set it free. After the next thud and impact, I tossed my coat upon it, shielding it from the mirrors and preventing it from taking another treacherous flight. I scooped up my coat and my hands began to shake, as if to mimic its quivering heart. As I touched it, I heard it cry out. The sound pierced my heart, so deep that I almost set it back down. But something moved me to stay my course. As I walked to the open door, I breathed in the fresh air and felt the warm sun on my skin. A slight smile found its way to my lips. A sense of relief washed over me. I laid the coat down and began to unwrap it. After I opened both of the sleeves, I pulled back the left lapel and suddenly all of the breath that I was holding in my lungs disappeared. I didn’t understand, couldn’t understand, what I was seeing. It was me, lying there, wrapped in my own coat. Blood was trickling down my face. As I opened my mouth to say something, anything, I heard a flutter and felt a slight breeze across my face. And in that very moment, I was gone.