“Mother may I try?”
Mother heard his question every day for weeks and her answer was always the same, “Not yet, sweetheart.”
Expecting the normal response, the abnormal came instead, “Yes, today you’re ready.”
With the confidence of youth, he stretched his muscles and stepped up to the ledge.
“Now, mother?”
“Now,” she replied.
He made his leap from the ledge and tumbled briefly before outstretching his wings. The brilliantly contrasting feathers glistened in the sunlight as the wind caught them and lifted him from his fall.
“I can fly!” he cried as he flew low over the water.
This was his day.
Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.
Ross's Writing Blog 
Koby
September 17, 2011 at 18:58
I loved this!!… I love birds, on a personal level… In the past several weeks I’ve “lost” my last two children, one to college, the other to marriage so you see I “sit on” an “empty nest”, so this post really hit home for me.
Ross Mannell
September 17, 2011 at 21:57
Thanks for the comment.
I had thoughts of featuring one of our colourful Australian parrots so the story would read, “The brilliantly colourful…” but then I remembered this photo I had taken as a pelican skimmed the water surface.
In a way, the story could be seen as a metaphor for children growing and leaving home. The idea was in mind but, as this blog was set up so children could read, the animals were the more suitable subjects. 🙂
Jenny Matlock
September 18, 2011 at 10:48
Oh hooray! What a brilliant interpretation of this prompt!
I love the unexpected starting place and the exuberant conclusion!
Thanks for linking. I really liked this.
Ross Mannell
September 18, 2011 at 11:38
Thanks for the comment and compliment.
As well as trying to write the exact word limit, as part of the exercise in writing I consider the obvious interpretations of a prompt and look for the less obvious while keeping possible child readers in mind. It’s a great mental exercise and a good way of practising writing.