He is Icarus imprisoned in a tower. He will escape, he will fly.

He fashions wings of trust, honesty, and friendship held together by love, helped by wise Daedalus who gives him friends, knowledge, and hope. He fashions his wings carefully, putting everything together just so, careful not to rip, careful not to tear.

He waits and waits, until one day when he breaks out of his tower and takes flight. He flies tentatively at first, not knowing his limits, but soon he soars. He soars towards the bright sun, which he has always admired from afar. He soars higher. He wants to touch it; he wants it to engulf him entirely in its bright flames. He can feel the heat, can feel it singeing his carefully woven feathers of trust, honesty and friendship. Still he cannot turn back. He soars higher. The heat is not enough; he needs more even while part of him knows this cannot be. He soars higher, even while part of him knows he will fall. Anything that goes up must come down. Daedalus' warnings echo in his ears but he pays them no mind. He soars even higher and reaches out to touch the bright brilliant star.

The wings held together by love are slowly melting and nothing will dissuade them. He reaches towards the brightest star and cries out as his glorious wings fall apart.

He falls.

He falls as he has always known he would, somewhere in the back of his mind. Without his beautiful wings he falls into the sea, the wind rushing by his ears in frenzy while his limbs flail helplessly.

For years it seems he is submerged in the dark blue water before he is rescued. Old wise Daedalus reaches out his hand towards the man – no longer a boy – and he takes it. Daedalus gives him purpose, a cause, and more hope. And even while the memory of falling is fresh in his mind, he starts to make wings.

They are not as carefully crafted, not as exquisite. There are rips and tears but they will hold. They will hold while he soars higher. They will hold until he can get close enough to touch his star. They will hold until they can hold no longer and then…

He is Icarus. He will fall.