A Butterfly

I’ve never seen a real butterfly before. Not until today.


That’s what happens when you grow up at a place like this. You miss all the little things. I was resting, staring at the ceiling.


That’s when I heard it. It fluttered past my makeshift window I had made years ago. As it passed, the soft sound of its wings flapping echoed throughout my room.


I jumped up and stared out my window. I didn’t hear it again after the first time, but I wanted to see what made the noise. I crawled out of my bed with fierce determination, more than I’ve had in a long time, and ran to my window. I peeked out with one eye, and that’s when I saw it.


A butterfly, as pretty as I’ve been told before this day, fluttered less than three feet from my window. It was so close, I could touch it. My heart swelled with happiness as it flew back and forth, left and right in front of me.


I wish I could’ve enjoyed the sight more but the bangs against the metal bars that are blocking me from the rest of the world jolted me away. That was my cue to turn around, though I wanted to keep staring outside. The outside world is the one place I am certain about, I don’t know where the room I’ve been sleeping in for the years even is. I turn around, and my stomach clenches at the sight of him. His evil eyes shine with joy as he sees me, and I already know he is excited to inflict more pain. I look away, staring at the walls of my horrible reality. The taunting smile from my captor fills my sight, and I am reminded yet again that I am never leaving this place. My wings have been clipped.