Leap of Faith by Michelle Ann King

They say Icarus’s sin was hubris: that he was punished for daring to aspire to the powers of the gods. But the fault lay not with ambition but merely lack of preparation. Daedalus ill-prepared his son — what craftsman, what engineer, does not build redundancy into his systems? One pair of wings would never be adequate.

I know better, and my boy will not suffer the same fate. His wings are beautiful, skin and bone and feather grafted with perfect precision. Some are diaphanous and delicate, some robust and sturdy. Every inch of his flesh has been transfigured into alate glory.

I forgive him his fear. Who would not quail at the moment of apotheosis?

I help him to overcome this final hurdle and step off the edge. My hands against his shoulders, pushing him towards his destiny.

I watch him soar, crying out our triumph to the heavens.

© 2012 Michelle Ann King

Michelle Ann King lives with her husband and stuffed penguin in Essex, England. Her work has appeared at Daily Science Fiction, Untied Shoelaces of the Mind, The Molotov Cocktail and others. Links to her stories can be found at http://michelle-ann-king.blogspot.co.uk/p/stories.html

Comments are closed.