The gravel was sharp beneath her feet, prickling, poking. The moonlight grazed her alabaster skin, lending her the appearance of fine ivory. Silver and liquid, its illumination stained the folds of her clothes, hid in the inky depths of her skirts. Through it's power her hair was turned to strands of starlight, her lashes to stardust. The air was chilled, frigid with the kiss of winter. It stung her bare skin and quickened her breath. She inhaled, teeth rattling in her mouth, and thought that she'd never felt more alive. The cold air stuck in her lungs, thrilling her. Her breath clouded before her, creating a misty haze. She felt untethered. Untied. Free. The confrontation still buzzed in her limbs, resonating in her bones and shaking out through her fingertips. "I canNOT do this!" She had screamed, defying him for the first time, "I will not do this again! No more! We're through!" She reveled in the memory of his shocked face, a face that had entrapped her for far too long. Finally, oh finally, she was able to live her own life. The shackles of his control had been forcefully torn from her wrists, ankles, heart. Heady with the rush of independence, she did what she did best. Her feet seemed to float above the ground, effortlessly segueing into the next series of twists and turns. "You're a terrible dancer," his voice, as harsh as the gravel beneath her, growled in her mind. "You were always afraid that it would catch someone's eye, take me away from you. You can't hold me back any longer," she responded calmly, mentally, throwing the words at his memory. He was probably halfway across the state by now, crying in that old beat-up car. She was too good for him. Like liquid metal, she flowed over the empty lot. The moon was her audience, the night was her stage. A smile graced her face, the first one in eons, and she laughed into the crisp air. Warmth surged into her limbs, reinvigorating her movements. Graceful and fluid, she flew over the ground, surging into move after move. Swirling, swinging, leaping, she danced well into the night. The edge of the obsidian sky was reduced to dark blue. Slowly, its rich color began to seep away, replaced by watery hues of purple, red, and orange. The dawn crept into her cheeks, warming them after her night of freedom. Her face was flushed. Her feet stung. Euphoria filled her veins.