00 - SHE RUNS AWAY

"The cloak," Avika whispered in the dark. A rusty lantern kept on the wooden table next to where she was standing casted a faint yellow glow around the room. Her skinny hands fumbled around the knots of the cloak, trying to figure out how to close the wretched garment. Chewing her lower lip, she worked to close the buttons. The big, dull green cloak hung on her thin bony shoulders; a size or two bigger for her figure. The room was small, with a lumpy mattress, small table, and tiny window. Just like Rapunzel's, except on the ground.

She looked around, her eyes lingering at the door—just in case her mother came. She wasn't supposed to be doing this, with an apprehensive sigh, she went back to making her outfit presentable.

Her thick brows were scrunched in concentration as she looped in the last of the buttons. The cloak reached her knees as she climbed the window. A blast of fresh air hit her, and moon twinkled above her. Shaking her head, she climbed onto the sill. She had specifically tied her long black hair in such a manner, that maximum of it was covered by the cloak. The window was just two feet above the ground. All she had to do was jump. Jump. Her heart rate increased dramatically, as she heard something from behind.

Taking a deep breath, she let her skinny legs dangle from the window sill. The smell of fresh grass and mist hit her, as she gathered her courage. Freedom. You are just two feet away from the freedom. Her mind chanted. She felt like she was allowed to smell coffee but not drink it.

Gathering her broken thoughts, she glanced back. Her mom, dad and her older brother were sleeping peacefully in their own rooms. She could hear their gentle snores. Her black eyes shone with indecision, as her hands traced the freckles which dotted her cheeks. She often did that when she was making a decision. Letting out a harsh breath, she stared at the cold night which lay in front of her. Her plump lips titled upwards, as tiny puffs of her breath danced in front of her eyes.

What if she doesn't do this, what if something happens to her, all sorts of thoughts tumbled around her brain, and she couldn't decide. At one end, she really, really wanted to do this. On the other hand, if she went ahead with this there was no going back. No plan-B's, no safe place, nothing.

She had one chance.

Tightening her cloak, she inched forward. You can do this. That's what they said in movies didn't they? That courageous and brave survived, that risk always paid off—then why won't her plan work?

She convinced herself. No, she couldn't. But she had to do it. Otherwise...

Taking another inch towards the ground, she pinched her eyes closed. Holding her breath, she jumped. Jumped.

For a few nanoseconds, everything stopped. Just like how it was shown in the movies. She still couldn't find the courage to open her eyes. The next second, she collided with something hard. Her body twisted in some weird form.

Opening her eyes, she looked around. A snort of disbelief escaped her lips, as she realized what she had done. Her oversized cloak was slowly getting damp from all the wet grass that lay around her. Her neck was throbbing, her legs were aching from sudden fall, but it didn't matter to her. Her heart was beating a hundred miles an hour, and anxiety was clawing her nerves. A warm feeling flooded her chest and brought a huge smile of her face, as realization hit her. She might now have a choice or say, but she did it. 

She did it. She took the first step. The hardest one.