The Dragire

The moment the door clicks shut behind me, the weight of it lifts from my chest, leaving me breathless. For the first time in my life, I'm alone. And not just in the hut. I'm outside. The air smells different here—fresher, more alive. It carries the scent of pine and earth, the crisp chill of morning dew still clinging to the grass. I take a deep breath, feeling it fill my lungs in a way the stale air inside the hut never did. It's like I've been holding my breath for 17 years, and now, I can finally exhale.

The sun is low in the sky, casting a soft, golden light over the clearing in front of the hut. The world is peaceful, quiet, like it's holding its breath, too, waiting for me to make the next move. It's not what I expected. I thought the outside would be wild, untamed, dangerous—an unfamiliar chaos that would swallow me whole. But instead, it feels strangely familiar, like I've always belonged here, just outside of reach.I take a hesitant step forward, then another. The ground beneath my feet is soft, a little damp. I stop to kneel, running my fingers through the grass, feeling it for the first time. It's real. The world is real. It's not some distant dream or fantasy that I've imagined while staring out through the small window of the hut. This is it. And it's just as beautiful as I've always imagined.The trees stand tall and silent around me, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. They've been here long before I ever existed, and they'll remain long after I'm gone. I can hear the faint rustling of leaves, the distant call of birds. It's like the world is singing, softly, just for me.I stand up, brushing the dirt off my knees, and take another step forward. My heart beats faster now, anticipation bubbling inside me. I don't know what I'm searching for, but I know I'm not going back. Not yet.I glance back at the hut, its door still closed behind me. For a moment, I feel a tug at my chest—guilt, maybe. But I push it away. This is something I need to do. For myself. Because if I don't leave now, I might never have the courage to do it again.The sound of the wind changes. It grows louder, almost like a whisper. I freeze, my pulse quickening. The wind carries something with it—voices, faint but clear, calling my name.Anne.I turn in a slow circle, trying to locate the source of the voice. But there's no one there. Just the trees, the grass, the endless sky above me.Anne.There it is again. My name, soft and insistent. It's not Mom's voice. It's not anyone I know. It's like the wind itself is calling to me, urging me forward. My legs move before I can think, the pull of the sound stronger than my hesitation.I walk deeper into the woods, each step taking me farther from everything I've ever known. The trees grow thicker here, the light dimming as the canopy closes overhead. The air smells richer, earthier, like the forest is alive in a way that I've never noticed before.And then, I see it. A clearing, just ahead, bathed in sunlight. At the center of it, standing tall and still like a figure out of a dream, is the boy. Adam.He's standing there, alone, just as I imagined him, holding the catapult in his hands. His eyes meet mine, and for a moment, time stops. There's a recognition between us, something unspoken but clear, like we've always known each other, like we've always been destined to meet here.His face is just as perfect as I remember—sharp features, dark eyes that seem to see right through me, to the very core of who I am. His hair is dark too, tousled by the wind, and his clothes are worn, like someone who's seen more of the world than I ever have.He takes a step toward me, his movements smooth and deliberate, like he's not surprised to see me. As if he's been waiting for this moment too."You came," he says, his voice low, almost like he's afraid to break the silence that stretches between us.I can hardly breathe. I've only ever known isolation, silence, and the suffocating walls of the hut. But standing here, in this clearing, with him, I feel something I've never felt before. Freedom. The world is vast, and it's open to me. And somehow, Adam is the key to it.

But then, my thoughts break as the world shifts. The scene around me dissolves in an instant, and I find myself not in the clearing, but somewhere else—an unfamiliar place, yet oddly familiar. A little girl's voice calls out, sharp and clear, from nearby.

"Yes, Adam. Dad said you should just stand there, it's part of the training session."

I blink, and in front of me, there's a small child, no older than four. Her hair is dark, her face a perfect mirror of Adam's, but softer, younger. The little girl—Ann—looks up at Adam, her small hands gripping a wooden toy. Her eyes shine with admiration, and I can see the family resemblance between her and the boy I thought I saw.

Adam, standing far away in the clearing, seems frozen, his eyes not on me, but on the little girl. And something inside me shifts. This is real. This is his world.

I start to walk toward her, not quite understanding why, but something compels me. She's beautiful, this tiny human—so fragile, so small. I've never seen a person so delicate before, and I find myself drawn to her. I move without thinking, my steps quickening as I approach.

Suddenly, I hear Adam's voice, sharp and urgent, cutting through the silence.

"Ann, no!" he screams, his words raw with panic. "Stay still!"

My heart races. I look down, and for the first time, I see the traps—hidden beneath the grass, just out of sight. Razor-sharp metal spikes buried in the earth, set by the hunters to keep creatures like me out of their territory. And I'm heading straight for them.

Before I can stop, I feel a jolt of instinct—an overwhelming, unfamiliar speed that surges through me, like a bolt of lightning. My body moves faster than I can comprehend, my feet lifting from the ground as I dodge the traps in a blur, moving with a fluidity I didn't know I had. I reach Ann in an instant, my arms wrapping around her small frame, pulling her out of harm's way, as Adam's scream echoes in my ears.

We tumble into the safety of the grass, just beyond the traps, as my breath catches in my chest. I hold Ann tightly, her small form trembling against me, and I realize—this is what it means to be alive. This is the world outside. Full of danger, full of people, and yet, I can't stop myself from wanting more.

"Are you okay?" I whisper, even though I'm not sure who I'm asking—the girl, or myself.

She nods, her eyes wide, still staring up at me, as if trying to understand what just happened. And then, in the distance, I hear Adam's voice again, calling to his sister, but this time, he's closer.

"Ann! Stay where you are!" he orders, his voice firm despite the fear that still lingers in his eyes.

For a moment, time stands still. And I realize, as I hold Ann against me, that everything I've known has changed. The world is bigger than I ever imagined. And maybe, just maybe, I'm finally ready to face it.