Amidst the trembling, a mustard seed settles in the concrete jungle of her chest, defying the odds and raging against the spiraling thoughts that cycle through her veins. It sprouts from nothing, roots pushing, breaking through the unbreakable plaster that held her in place.
As she approaches the mic, willing herself not to stumble, she has a fleeting yet flourishing thought: If fear has become me, then I have no choice but to cut myself down and sprout again from the severed stump.
The roots fill her, chasing all she is, consuming every bit of oxygen until all that’s left of her is her mind. A mind that trembles though all she is remains still. Confident. If the fear has become her, then hope will break her completely and rebuild her. Concrete jungle be damned.
Ravana Smith is an aspiring author and editor, of Jamaican heritage, completing a double major in English and Religious Studies. While she is currently dabbling in a bit of everything, she hopes to one day specialize in faith-centered speculative fiction.
Featured image by Kane Reinholdsten on Unsplash.
