The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan

Author:Erin Callahan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: escapology, high school, secrets, coming-of-age, history, tragedy, family relationships, friendship, LGBTQ, learning, art, performance art, risk, Rhode Island, magicians, illusions, life or death, life-threatening situations, courage
Publisher: PublishDrive
Published: 2018-06-18T16:00:00+00:00

The woman from TV tapped her pen against her lips. “Do you ever get scared?”

I curled a strand of my bright pink wig around my index finger. The Hummingbird was flitting around behind my chair. I’d bought her a foam samurai sword to keep her entertained during the interview. She sliced through the air with grand swishes, vanquishing imaginary foes. Swish!

“Mom-mom-mom-mom,” she babbled. “Look, look!”

“Hush,” I said. “In a minute, hachidori.” I turned back to the TV woman. “What was the question?”

“Do you ever get scared?”

“Of course,” I replied with a smile. “What I do is very risky. It can be a matter of life and death. But there’s also a deep sense of serenity. There’s a moment, just before I free myself, that feels so small and yet so big at the same time. It lasts for just a second, sometimes less, but it encompasses everything.”

“Does your life flash before your eyes?” the TV woman asked.

I laughed. “Maybe something like that. But I don’t see it. I feel it, like a thick mist condensing deep in my chest.”

– Akiko Miyake, New York, November 19, 1985

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