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Petra trudged through the autumn woods with determination, feeling the crunch of vibrant orange, yellow and red leaves beneath her feet. The strong, sweet aroma of evergreen and dry leaves enveloped her as she marched further down the path. For years Petra had lived a lie, living a dutiful life in her town while harboring a deep secret that only she knew of.
Today was the day that all would change. Despite her fear, despite her racing heart, trembling hands and tight throat Petra pushed forward determined to reveal the truth to everyone she had grown to love. She took deep breaths of courage as she moved closer to her destiny, knowing that nothing would be the same afterwards.
As she left the shelter of the pines, Petra felt a sudden chill creep over her skin. Stopping where the last of the trees began, she closed her eyes and whispered a small prayer. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the shadows into open air. The breeze tasted like leaves and soil; it smelled of freedom. She had walked this trail many times before but had never truly seen it in its entirety. It was as if the pines had been protecting her from what lay ahead, hiding their own secrets behind bark and needles.
Petra walked steadily through the streets, feeling the warmth of the autumn sun on her face. The air was full of golden and crimson hues, a symphony of colors that seemed to linger in the air like a melody only meant for her. There were people all around her, their laughter and chatter filling the air and reminding her that life continues on even though her own was about to change drastically.
Despite this normalcy, Petra felt as if she stood alone in a world of her own. She had been so sure of herself before setting out on this journey but now she felt slightly overwhelmed by what was to come. Taking a deep breath, Petra reminded herself why she was doing this; it was time to reveal the truth that had weighed on her heart for years and finally cast off the chains of fear and pain that held her back.
No matter what happened afterwards, she wanted to get this weird secret out in the open, even if people judged or laughed at her or called her a freak. She would no longer hide behind lies; instead she would stand in the light of truth and be free. With a newfound determination, Petra continued towards her destination with her head held high, ready to tell everyone who she really was. Petra walked to a nearby fountain in the center of town, ready to show her true self.
The time had come for her to unveil the secret that had been trapped inside of her since she was young – a secret that had kept her hidden and alone, confined by invisible walls. She bravely reached up to her hair, plucking up the courage to show what no one else had witnessed. With an unsteady hand, she yanked locks away, revealing her pointed elven ears which were trembling with fear.
Instantly, a hush spread across the town as Petra's ears were exposed to the public. Everyone stopped to stare, with some gaping in shock and others barely able to contain their awe. A woman nearby screamed, and she flinched, expecting the worst. But instead, a genuine smile crept across the woman's face as she approached Petra, her eyes warm and understanding. Without saying a word, the woman embraced her, and Petra finally felt the comfort of a home she hadn't known for years.
As if on cue, cheers erupted from all around her once they realized what was happening. It was an incredible sight – one that Petra had never dreamed of experiencing in her small town. She couldn't believe how quickly things had changed; just moments ago she had been standing alone in fear but now she was surrounded by acceptance and love.
Petra slowly looked around at all of the smiling faces surrounding her. So many strangers had come out to support her; so many kind people who did not even know her yet still chose to accept her without question or judgement. Tears streamed down her face as she took in the scene around her – this was what true freedom felt like.
Petra was unsure why some of the town was so happy about her showing her elven ears, but as she looked around more, she began to figure it out. Hats came off--not all at once, but one by one--and then there were giggles and whispers. A few people pulled their hair back or ran hands over their ears to show that, yes, they had pointy ears, too. They wanted to be not alone. To show that although they might look like everyone else, just on the outside they weren't normal at all.
The townsfolk began to celebrate loudly around her and soon music filled the air– something fun and upbeat that made everyone want to dance along with it! Petra found herself being swept up in the joyful atmosphere; it seemed that no matter where you looked there was nothing but smiles and laughter spilling out into the streets! She was so caught up in the moment that before long she found herself laughing along with everyone else too! It felt like all of their love and support was lifting away any worries or doubts that had kept her hidden for so long!
She knew that, from this day forward, she would never be the same again– but things could be better than before!
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Petra and her community were confused. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Petra, wake up! Time for school!" a woman's voice echoed in the room.
Petra slowly opened her eyes and reached over to turn off the alarm clock that had startled her awake from her elf dream. She let out a heavy sigh and extended her arms and legs in a long stretch on her bed.
What an amazing dream she had just experienced! Petra couldn't believe how vivid and real it felt. She ran through all of the details of the dream in her head, from the townspeople's initial confusion upon seeing her ears to their eventual acceptance and celebration. It was like a warm hug coming from every direction that told her it was okay to be herself.
But unfortunately, as much as she wanted to stay in this Elven utopia forever, Petra knew that she had to get ready for school. With another sigh, she reluctantly got out of bed and began getting dressed for the day ahead.
Stepping out of bed, she made her way to the mirror and pulled back her hair. She paused for a moment as her gaze fell on her ears - they were large, much larger than others. Instinctively, she grabbed a hat from her closet and prepared to go to school with it covering up the embarrassment that came with being different. Suddenly, an idea struck her mind like a bolt of lightning. She thought back to the dream she had last night, where she had proudly shown off those same ears. Feeling determined, she quickly undid the hat and tied her hair in a high ponytail instead. With trembling hands, she put on the pretty earrings she had bought at the mall just a few days ago, and fiercely stepped out of her room, ready to take on the world.
As Petra stepped into class later that morning, she couldn't help but feel a little bit anxious about what everyone would think now that they knew about her ears. But before long, she started receiving reassuring smiles from some of the other kids which instantly made her feel more at ease.
At lunchtime, Petra decided to take a risk and approached some of the other students who shared similar classes with her – something she normally wouldn't do out of fear or anxiety. To her surprise though, they welcomed her with open arms! She ended up spending the whole lunch period chatting away with them about anything and everything under the sun – from movies they liked to sports they played – it felt like no topic was off limits!
Before long Petra realized that all of those worries over what people would think had been foolish; here within these walls nobody judged or questioned who you were; everyone simply accepted each other as they were without any hesitation or prejudice!
It seemed like no matter where Petra went today – whether it was class or lunchtime – people were happy to see that Petra was unafraid to be.
