the Wind

At the edge of a cliff I stand tall. I stare up at the Wind. The Wind pushes me. I close my eyes, bracing myself upon the rock. As the Wind hits me, I squint, eyes tearing up. The Wind stops. I bend over, breathing heavily. When I look up forward, I see the Wind. The Wind is stronger than ever. Coming straight for me. Fear claws at my throat. I try to stance but and soon overcome by a semi-circle of tornado-y Wind. “What’s wrong,” Wind taunts in a whispery voice. “Are you too weak? Too fragile?” I stumble backward. My foot hits a rock and I fall backwards. As I fall, I think, their right. I am weak. I am fragile. I can’t do this… “Ohhohoho. Yes, child. I win. Now fall down into the shadowy vortex of Self Doubt,” The Wind howls with glee. I open my eyes with a surge of anger. As I fall over the edge of the cliff, I grab onto a rock sticking out of the edge. I find slots for my feet and hands to grab onto and hoist myself up the cliff. I hear the Wind cackling, thinking they won. Not today, I think as I climb atop the edge at last. The Wind soon notices me. “Hrmmm? Have you come for more?” I stand tall. Taller than before. Energy and power surges through my veins. “What are you- Hey! Stop!” The Wind shrieks as I walk through their semi-circle. As I walk, I hear insults and my greatest failures and my darkest fears. “Remember this? Remember that?” The Wind says, projecting images from a third-person point of view of all the hard times in my life. “Yes,” I say, growing stronger. “I remember how I went through all of that and survived.” I hit a wall of the Wind. I push. The Wind tries to pull me back, but I push. “Do you know what you’re about to do? I will find you again. I swear it!” The Wind shouts, pulling at me with all their might. I push anyway. And I get through the Wind.