Even the Birds are Chained to the Sky

Tiff moves her hand from the front of her binder; the words dance in the synthetic sunlight.

No one…

“The sky seems limitless to me.” A finger dawdles to the graphite words.

…is ever free…

Almond eyes follow. Tiff smiles.

“Maybe.”

Her tired eyes fly back to her book. Their weathered wings are torn.

…even the birds…

The almonds move constantly, but get nowhere.

Back and

Forth.

Forth and

Back.

Absorbing the black print, the almonds are steady. Tiff readies herself, turning a page.

The words shift slightly, but

Nothing has changed.

The almonds continue their work, their wings still torn.

A leak of feathers spews between us as her winged almonds rest on me again.

“What?” I smile.

“Nothing.” I sigh. “Maybe the sky’s not limitless like I thought.”

Almond eyes gazed. Tiff smiles.

“Maybe.”

…are chained to the sky.