Creative: Don't Fly to Close to the Sun, Icarus

Ike stood, panting after the stairs, on the observation deck. Below him, the city spread out in every direction. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and even without his glasses he could see to the very edge of Manhattan. These wings of wax and feathers will allow you to fly, and together we can escape this island. There had been a time, once, when Ike had felt every inch of that city belonged to him. He had felt like he owned the world, like tomorrow could only bring more good fortune. The city had been prospering, and he like everyone else had taken a part of that success. It was Dan who had encouraged him at first. "We've been working all our lives" he said, "and what have we got to show for it? Almost nothing. But now, I've found a way to make ourselves rich, and we barely have to lift a finger." The way had been stocks, and together they found all the spare money they had and invested. It paid off, of course; the value just kept going up day after day. 

Let me warn you, Icarus, to take the middle way. Don't fly too low or too high.

"Invest it all" Dan had said, "If you risk too little you'll hardly make anything. But be careful. There's no guarantee this will work. Make sure you've got something to fall back on." But Ike had been greedy. He'd spent money he didn't have; confident he could simply sell the shares once the banks demanded payment. But when the market crashed, he was left with nothing. It made him sick that there were still people who could afford to build skyscrapers, while he was homeless and without a penny to his name. He felt the wind, surprisingly strong up here, pull at his clothes and whip away the tears running down his cheek.

If you fly too close to the sun, the wax will melt and you shall fall.

His fortune had crashed along with Wall Street, and now there was no hope for him. The tears were coming fast now, and he had to wipe his eyes before he looked up at the sun above. "I could have touched the sky," he whispered. And, almost as though in a dream, he ran forward and leapt off the edge.  

Tom