Daily Flash Fiction Challenge

It was a dream. I was climbing an endless stairwell. My footsteps echoed. I stomped harder just to hear the sound. The steel railing felt not exactly sticky, but grippy. My fingertips traced it just to be safe. The thought of looking over the edge crossed my mind. I resisted. A wave of fear washed over me. The walls felt close. That familiar tingling sensation of losing all strength in my legs returned. I kept marching through the dim light. The air was stale.

The lights were out at the top of the stairwell. A white glow emanated from the edges of the door. I grasped for the handle. The latch made a solid metal clicking sound. The daylight was blinding.

I stepped out onto the gravel roof. The sound of the rocks reminded me of walking on the beach. The whirring wind reminded me of the ocean breeze. My eyes adjusted to the light and I imagined myself on the shore looking out to the horizon at a pale blue sky on a cold winter day. Memories recounted the scent of seaweed and the cries of gulls.

Doves had made a nest in a crevice on the cooling tower. They were gone now. I picked up a white feather and held it toward the sun. Soon my body was covered in feathers. I ran to the edge and jumped. Soaring through the air made me embrace my weakness. That tingling sensation enveloped me. Fear and courage and trepidation infiltrated my soul. Flying higher and higher for many hours, the world became a distant landscape.

The dream ended. The feeling remained.