We started back to the tree-side of the house. I kept Ayana steady with my strong hand, but in my ignorance I let my off hand touch the hottest part of the chimney – the same part I told Ayana not to touch beforehand. I screamed and lost my balance just as Ayana did the same. Like the moment of the sunrise, time seemed to change for us. The initial shock hits you like a bullet. The feeling of peace leaves you like morning mist, melting under the glare of a warm sun. Tension remains. It makes you sweat. It fills you to the brim with terror. And still, you can’t react. You simply fall.

            But then, clarity plows to the forefront. You react, quickly and instinctively. You do the first thing that comes to mind and hope that Fate takes care of the rest. You reach out, grab the closest handhold, and hang on for dear life.

            Ayana’s handhold is the edge of the sunroof looking into the attic. Mine is the gutter. It shatters in my grip. I don’t remember if it slowed me down at all. All I remember is seeing Ayana lying still and thinking – wishing – that I wouldn’t die because of a damn flue. To this day, I still can’t recall what it feels like to hit the ground so hard that it knocks the hubris out of you.

            I could hear a songbird chirping. I could hear Ayana screaming for help. I could feel clarity bleeding from my back. I saw the sunlight turn black and the poetry on the tip of my tongue turn into meaningless drivel. As I closed my eyes, I couldn’t help but think that I would give anything to see tomorrow.

            I’ve since learned to be careful of what I wished for.