04 第1章 木兰赶鸡（4）

04 第1章 木兰赶鸡（4）

She eyed the distance between where she stood and the spot far below where the chicken had landed. Determination flooded through her, and she clenched her fists at her sides. 

“Mulan,” her father said, recognizing the look in her eyes, “listen very carefully. You will take a calming breath, and then slowly—slowly—you will climb down. ” Mulan’s eyes didn’t move from the coop and the offending chicken now safely inside. “Climb,” he repeated. “Do you understand?” 

Mulan did not reply at once. She felt as though time had stopped. The wind had ceased to blow across her cheeks, and all she could hear was the air coming in and out of her lungs and her heart pounding against her chest. Her toes tingled, itching to move. One step and she could jump. One step and she, like the chicken, could f ly. But then time resumed. Breeze once again fluttered against her face. Shaking her head, she let her gaze drift from the coop, over the gathered crowd and once more to her father. 

“Yes,” she said. 

Zhou started to smile but the smile turned to a gasp as Mulan took a not-so-slow step forward. In her haste, she tripped on the slippery slate roof. Her arms swung out, windmilling wildly at her sides as she struggled to get her balance. But it was too late. She was too off-kilter. As the gathered group below let out a collective gasp, Mulan fell. 

For a dreadful moment, Mulan was sure she was plummeting to her death. 

But then her mind cleared. The same sensation of time slowing returned and, as if it were highlighted by a ray of sun, a lone beam jutting out from one of the balconies caught Mulan’s eye. Contorting her body in a way that seemed to defy gravity, Mulan stopped flailing her arms and reached out a steady hand to grab it. Using the beam, Mulan slowed her descent. Her body stopped falling and instead began to swing like a pendulum around the beam. When she gained enough control, she let go and f lipped in the air, landing safely on the ground—and on her feet. 

Unhurt, Mulan looked around at the crowd. Her eyes were sparkling, and her cheeks were flushed from the exhilaration and pride she felt for sticking her landing. 

And then she looked over at her father. Zhou didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. His feelings were written all over his face. What Mulan had just done, the damage she had created and the danger she had put herself in, were too much. Mulan had disappointed him. 

The smile on her face disappeared.