Jump and Fall

The single glass roof looked up to one of the sunniest days of her life. Beneath her, below the carpeted floor was a mystery. Around her, walls of glass panels stood, like people in a bustling train. So close that you can’t see the hinges, yet so far that you can’t see through them. They faced what seemed to be a jungle of skyscrapers. Except that one of them was facing something else. Escape room video games were not helping her. In reality, there are no clues laid around, leading you to the intended right path. Only doors that look like walls, with no locks, no handles, and no hinges. You push it with all your might, and if you get it right, you’ll land on the right path. If not, you jump and then fall.

The more she thought about what's on the other side, her eyes lit up. It'd be what she always wanted (Or would it be?). Yet the choices in front of her kept her on her toes. “What if I don't pick the right one?” She walked closer to the glass panel ahead of her. She gently put her hands on it trying to look down on the concrete jungle, but backed off.

“What if I fall? What if I break my bones?...What if…What if I…die?” A series of what ifs kept haunting her. The bright sunlight blinded her. She could no longer think, it was all too much. She couldn’t choose, but neither could she keep putting off the daunting task. The sky was getting greyer. A thunderstorm was brewing. Drop by drop, rain splattered on the glass box, and now she couldn’t move. Her hands were shaking, legs were weak and altogether she felt numb. But she couldn’t stay there forever. Could she?

A glimmer of light out in the sky ignited a tiny flame of hope in her. Or perhaps, she just wanted the life in the glass box to end.  She mustered up all the strength she could and stood up. Went a few steps back and then ran forward- pushing the glass panel in front of her. She jumped.

She jumped and she fell. But then she flew. Slowly first, then steadily. The clouds were turning white and the sun was shining again. She looked back to the glass box and realised- She was inside the glass box, but the glass box was inside her too.