Mina picked up her flats , rubbing them gently. The satin silk caressed her finger tips in its coolness. These shoes have spent years- decades in her house. She dusted and put them back in the shelf. That dream was long buried, a chapter in her life that had been written off. She recalls the memories of her younger days with a sad smile.

***

A young woman stretches with back arched, performing the basic warmups before her performance. Her heart races in anticipation for the dance. This was it, her first big showing. She glances at the audience from behind the curtain. Hundreds was an understatement to describe the number of people. She remembered her teacher had mentioned inviting some socialites. This was just too much. Her nerves returned threatening to spill out.

She paused as the announcer called for their team. They went into the stage and readied for the dance. The music played and she closed her eyes and let the music lead her. It was marvelous, she felt like a baby swan who lifted its wings to fly for the first time. She glided across the stage as the applause grew louder and louder. It was perfect until it wasn't.

Somewhere, a cable holding the one of the stage lights broke and the huge light came swinging towards the stage. The dancers in their efforts to dodge, crashed into each other. Her partner lost his footing and they both fell of the stage. Someone screamed. The world went black.

She woke up in a hospital, foot wrapped and hung . Her head also was carefully wrapped in bandages. The doctor, a man who seemed to be his fifty's told her bone was broken and advised her to limit walking for the meantime.

She remembered the pitying looks from her class and the quiver in her voice when she asked, “will I be able to dance again?"

The doctor shook his head, “I'm not sure". He called for a nurse, “but nothing's is impossible".

She left that hospital with more than a broken leg.

***

Mina wiped a tear from her eye. She may never feel like a swan again, but once upon a time, she was.