Today is a particularly foggy and misty day.

The sun in hiding behind the thick clouds and everything feels gloomy. The chill seeps right through me all the way to my bones. I’m standing near the edge of the cliff where the waterfall runs down, the crashing water creating all this cold dampness in the air. I feel very damp already, even though I was only out here for about 10 minutes. Where I can usually see the clear water far bellow, I only see a never ending whiteness. I wonder how it would feel to fall through it…

I catch myself inching closer to the edge.

_“Gosh! What do you think you’re doing, Esra?” _I mumble to myself. “_People will think I’m trying something questionable.”_

I’m only a foot away from the edge, looking out over the ravine. I turn around to face the majestic castle behind me.

I contemplate going back inside to my stuffy room and the big, grand walls confining me. I picture my father sitting me back down in front of my schoolwork. My heart fills with distaste at the the thought.

I turn back around to the beautiful mystery of cold fog and jagged rocks. I can see pink trees peeping through the white fog on the other side of the large expanse of mist. A dark shape I didn’t notice at first, perched on the pink branches, leaps down into the fog-filled ravine.

This, I didn’t expect to see. It takes me by surprise.

My body stiffens.

The shape looked unlike anything I’ve seen before. It was definitely not some kind of small animal. It looked weirdly humanoid.

Whatever it was, it will have undoubtedly crashed to pieces on the sharp rocks down below by now. I feel sorry for it.

Then, before I can think another thought, something rips out of the fog right in front of me and soars high into the air. I look up, but I can’t see anything. I stumble backwards, trying to find the thing that’s shot into the sky only half a second ago. I just can’t see it anymore.

I stand there frozen. _Was that all in my head? _My mind races. _Am I crazy?_

I hastily turn back to the castle, feeling very shaken.

_Better go back,_ I think to myself. _In case there really is something dangerous out here._

As I start to trudge mindlessly up the hill, my brain occupied by recent happenings, I hear a sound that I’ve dreaded hearing all my life: the distress horn.

It can only mean one thing: someone has broken into the castle by force, and they are definitely not there to have a friendly chat.

My previous worries evaporate as I think of my family in danger. I charge up the hill, but before I can make it even 5 strides, someone grabs my clothes from behind and starts lifting me up, up, into the sky.

I start screaming and kicking, and I try to hit my captor, not even wondering at the moment how we are flying. After a long while of kicking and screaming done by me, I start to notice my situation.

I can hear large wing beats on either side of me. I can hear someone huffing and puffing above me. I look down and I can see the world so far below me I almost throw up. I quickly look up so I don’t get sick.

“Put me down right now, you evil flying demon!” I yell.

“Don’t worry,” he sounds mildly annoyed. “I’m saving you. You would’ve died if you went into your fortress.”

“I don’t believe you! Let me down!”

“Tisk, tisk. Always so ungrateful.” My captor sighs, and we fly on, me continuing to resist and yell for a very long time, until I somehow unknowingly fall asleep.