Preparing for Flight
by Ashira Lam
Photo by Ekamelev
A splash of blue—a flood of purple, all to cover the hideous spots on my wings. I paint hard and fast, making sure to cover every bit of grey and brown with a blanket of rainbow. Ignoring the growing weight on my back, I continue to paint hastily, because I know everything will be worth it once the liquid dries. Finally, the scales on my wings feel completely covered. I flap them, feeling them strain with each movement. I look up to see my feathery antennae and shake my head. This won’t do. Nobody wants to see the disgusting, saw-toothed figure of those probes. I pick up the iron and bring it slowly towards the fragile sensors. As the heat casts onto my antennae, I feel a jolt of pain run throughout my body. I scream, and as much as I want to remove the iron, I push through, dragging it across my antennae from the bottom to the top. Through the tears in my eyes, I can see that they are now thin and straight. Perfect. I take a deep breath, and begin breaking through the walls of my cocoon. As I pry open the delicate silk, I feel the sun beaming on my face. Stepping out into the world, I tense my body and bend my legs, ready to take flight. I count: one, two, three, and jump, leaving a trail of red behind me. Strange, I didn’t use any red paint.
Ashira Lam’s “Preparing for Flight” received fourth place in the BCPW’s 2025 Flash Fiction Contest. Ashira attends Bill Hogarth Secondary School.