| A Painted Cage | Chapter 1|
Leaping through the air, I allowed myself to embrace the thrill of losing the sense of gravity. The night sky was a collage of colours, and the stars scattered across the sky. Showing the constellations with stories and tales that I couldn’t even start to list. Not even a speck of cloud was in sight allowing the soft glow of the crescent moon to be in focus. It was the moment I wished I could freeze and paint so I would never forget the beauty of it.
Sadly, it had to end as I stumbled to find footing on the roof. My arms flung out to attempt to regain some balance. Sighing when my legs found a footing, my eyes wandered back up to the night sky above. A cold wind swept through the city, carrying the scent of ashes of fires. People huddle around fires trying to fight off the early autumn chill. It would be nice to chat away the night as you have warm thick soup to snack on.
However, the image of a home was cold and empty. Candles slowly melted away, as the rooms seemed to grow colder, and the air becoming suffocating.
“Whose up there?” A voice called out below me. Darting into the shadows, I peered off the edge of the roof. A guard surveyed the rooflines searching for the sudden noise. After a long pause, the man gave up and left mumbling under his breath.
Scanning the area, for any more surprises I sled off the floor into the alley.
Striding through the alleys, I pick up random conversations, distorted through the walls. It made my heart ache. As the whispers seemed to grow louder, I caught a few words that filtered through.
“Soon it will be… right I know… how knows at,” it was pleasant just to listen in. Leaning onto the wall, imagining a world full of warm oranges and yellows. The smell of freshly cooked roast and the smell of sweet berries. The sound of laughter and chatter. Warmth surrounds you both in your heart and soul. It was stupid to imagine a reality that didn’t exist. Perhaps though, I could paint that reality.
“Don’t even think about running,” my feet stumble as I hear footsteps behind me. In a moment of stupidity, I fled by diving around the corner. Feeling the cold air whip around me, I dodged carts and boxes as the guard chased me.
Lights blurred around me as I dashed around the streets looking for any hiding spots.
The shouts of soldiers flooded my ears as I ran faster into the night. Alerting the other guards, more joined into a chase following a shadow. I didn’t stop even when my legs protested on moving. “This will be a lot easier for you if you give up,” I would have to be the most ignorant to believe that.
The shouts awoke most of the district making people open windows. But the sudden scream of, “Shut all of windows and doors, stay inside.” Most slam their windows in a hurry. Many that left their house at the noise, scurrying inside. I’m astonished that many dare even peek, let alone leave their house.
I guess curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
Crashing into some crates, I felt my body start to scream in pain. Though I push it to the side and continue running through the streets. Quickly, I duck into another alley, hoping I could at least lose some of the guards.
Maybe I’ll get lady luck on my side. It wasn’t long until the shouts started to dissipate. Harsh bitter air filled my lungs as I held my weight onto a wall. My eyes lift to the stone brick wall that towers over the town. It nearly reaches the height of the castle. Slamming my fist into the wall, feeling a fresh hot pain.
The wall wrapped around the whole city, keeping everyone out. And everyone in. It has been over a few decades since the wall was built. No matter how much beauty the night sky is. I know the world outside of the wall was far more than I could ever dream.
While the others, pass along their rumours and tales. I wish to see and paint the world that lives outside of the walls. Why should I care about a plague long gone? I never understood why the nobles pretended like the plague never happened, but still lived in fear of it. They burn history and the arts of the past all remove the stain of the plague. Anyone who speaks about the tragedy is killed. To be honest, they might have hidden the truth of the plague.
Though I yearn for the never-ending lush green hills and the smell of a variety of floral. Stories of a crystal-like water, which its depths lost the light of the sun. Animals of different heights and origins roam their home of land, sea, and sky.
“Why trade a golden cage for a life of hardships?” Saddened by the new voice, I turn around to face Kyar who sat upon crates. His eyes also fell upon the walls.
“Seriously Kyar, anything is better than a cage.”
“Aisha, you keep telling yourself that. What happens when you lose your light out there? Aisha as your friend I’m telling you that this cage of yours isn’t bad. Here, you have plenty of food, water access to shelter, and people who can support you. Out there, you have no one.”
I didn’t understand how Kyar could just accept a life in the walls. If our ancestors lived for centuries out there, I could live out there as well.
“I’m not sorry that I can’t be trapped for my whole life.” Kyar snapped his vermillion eyes on me. He pushed off the wall and strode towards me. “You can live in your world of paradise,” I stare into his eyes, “But my paradise is beyond these walls.”
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