Her bare feet brushed the cold ground where she treaded. She felt icy stone chilling her bones, while the wind tousled her hair. Up on the roof, the air was brisk and the cover of darkness hid everything. Only the city far below was brightened with the fake light that powered this world.

She stepped up to the ledge and spread her arms wide. The reckless traffic below did not see her standing on the rooftop above its head. It was so oblivious and consumed by the mundane. The people on the ground lived in a bubble. They were walking around blind, concerned only about the petty trifles of their lives and living in a world that involved no one else. She cast her eyes downward at the people, but then gazed upward toward the heavens. The dark night sky would soon become her refuge. It was in this moment that she would become free.

She breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, and leapt from the rooftop. The wind of the night tangled her black curls and riveted her body, making her feel alive. She only felt the invigoration of falling free for a brief moment, however.

In midair she unfurled her wings and halted her plunge toward the ground. With both power and grace she rose up into the black midnight. The angel felt the wind rush through her wings and engulf the rest of her body. With one final glance at the streets below, she disappeared into the endless horizon that welcomed her. Only one lone feather descended to the ground, where it was trampled on and forgotten.