I grab my sister’s hand

and pull her towards

the cliff edge with me.

She nods slowly in my direction.

Then we jump.

And we are free,

like doves

released at a wedding.

Only we weren’t celebrating

the union of two lovers,

we were escaping

the harsh reality

of our world.

We had been

the caged doves,

looked upon

and laughed at

by our captors.

We were the innocent,

the vulnerable,

the replaceable.

Caged doves.

But we were free now,

flying above the clouds,

letting our wings

stretch across

the cold autumn sky.

We were no longer caged doves.

We were free.

Innocent.

Vulnerable.

But free.