“A World Away” Creative Writing Anthology by Young Writers of Canada, Canadian Poetry Institute Inc.  

Second Place Entry: Feather in the Wind by Xi Yuan (Cecilia) Pang

I am meant to fly. Like a feather in the wind, bouncing afloat in the air, held by invisible thread. Then the sky is falling. Everything is whirling and blurring at the soft edges. The waves are welcoming me with their soft drizzles landing on my face and slowly gravity gives in. A sharp pain erupts onto the left side of my chest. Overwhelmed by the salty ocean air, I gasp heavily, trying to regain my consciousness. I can taste the bitter blood, and feel the heavy blanket of water suffocating me. I knew what would happen before I could breathe my last breath. An overwhelming grief started to blossom through my body, and I started to heave uncontrollably from my weeping. Numbness was creeping in and after many minutes of struggling, I begin to give up. I relaxed and closed my eyes, watching my life go by.

Earlier that morning, when I had left, I forgot to tell the people I love, that I loved them. My sister, with her flushing cheeks, bursting with happiness every time I hugged her. And my parent’s, the people who supported me in the sidelines, as I ran through the race called life. I won’t forget those memories of when I would run through the cherry blossom hills, embracing each of them and dancing like no one was watching. Those moments when I would be painting, and the zephyrs would dance on my back. Or that time when my best friend and I would climb that big oak tree, watching the splashes of sunset fade away into our dreams. The times that I would jump in big puddles that went to my knees and the melodic sound of rain twinkling in my ears, when spring bloomed in. All the blossoms that bent to kiss my toes will be missed. And most of all, I would miss the times that I wanted a sweet slice of summer, dribbling down my chin. The water was rising over my limp body, and all I felt was a tender hand stroking my cheek. Then a blurry shadow of light slowly pulling me out.