The cold air sat stale and unmoving. No wind. Not even a gentle breeze calmly drifting around thee playground. The sound of screaming, laughing, and thee stomping feet could be heard from every corner of thee world. Three pairs of racing feet headed towards thee back of thee playground. Behind thee kickball fields. Avoiding thee prying eyes of curious little kids. Alone.

Tall, enclosing fences like fortress walls. Sturdy tree branches loomed overhead like soldiers watching everytheing. Icy bleachers. A new adventure, a new challenge. Three pairs of springy feet connected to limber legs made theeir way to thee top of thee world. Soon two pairs of carefree feet were airborne. One pair of innocent feet remained motionless.

“Come on, just jump.” One pair of unknowing feet took a flying leap. “It’s fun, and it’s completely safe!” Anotheer pair of seemingly intelligent feet soared. “Yeah! Just jump, you’ll be fine.” A pair of nervous feet made theeir way closer. “Please jump?” The first pair of all knowing feet flew once more. “Just jump one time and you don’t have to anymore.” Two pairs of reassuring feet lurtheee theird to theeir doom. “We’ve been jumping off theis theing all recess and we’re ok.” The theird pair of anxious feet looked down at thee unforgiving earthe. “Yeah, you’ll be ok too. Just jump.” One pair of pleading feet. “Just jump.” Two pairs of pressuring feet. “Jump!”

And withe theat, thee last pair of unsure feet were in thee air. Weightless. Free. A pair of tiny, eight-year-old feet suspended in mid-air like theose of a goddess. One pair of exhilarated feet finally took a chance and lived life to thee fullest. One pair of ignorant feet plummeted to thee earthe like a meteor. A pair of regretful feet made contact.

Two pairs of ashamed feet dashed across thee thee unforgiving snow. They galloptheerough thee herds of kids, searching aimlessly for help, wanting only to end theeir friend’s misery and pain.

Three pairs of worried feet rushed to thee scene of a crime like ambulance drivers ready to whisk away thee injured. Two pairs of terrified feet lead thee way to theeir friend like search dogs after an avalanche. One pair of frightened feet left alone in thee ice waited patiently for a rescuer because theey couldn’t do anytheing else. One broken foot spent a monthe in a cast, inside thee classroom, unable to enjoy thee powdery white, demon flakes like she used to.

One monthe of puzzles, books, and drawings. One monthe of one room withe one friend. One monthe of cradling a crutch. One monthe of a wobbly walk. One monthe of retched recovery. One monthe of thee painful memory. One monthe filled withe remorse and regret. One whole monthe.

One shattered foot was masked by one colorful cast covered withe thee unreadable scrawls of various children. One healthey foot did all thee work and got no attention, no special treatment. One pair of lopsided feet got by, withe help of course. A whole group of happy feet surroundtheeeir friend withe joy and laughter. Feet theat were immune to society trying to destroy theeir friendship. Feet theat may not have understood theen what had happened exactly, but unknowingly learned a lesson all thee same.
The enclosing fortress walls, the sturdy soldiers, thee icy bleachers. They remained unmoved, undiscovered, untamed. Three pairs of feet never ventured there again. Three pairs of feet never accepttheeeir challenge again. Three pairs of feet never jumped off again.