Crossing Stream

Mira stood at the edge of the stream, shoes dangling from her hand. The water shimmered, daring her to cross. On the other side, laughter from her friends echoed, light and untouchable. She hesitated—fear clenched her chest, whispering of slips, stumbles, failure. Yet curiosity tugged harder. She stepped in, the cold biting, the current pushing. Halfway across, she wavered, but her grip on courage held. When she reached the far bank, dripping yet grinning, her friends cheered. Mira laughed too, realising the stream was never her enemy. It was herself she had learned to overcome.