Sky High

Chapter 10: Passing The Border

The inside of the plane was beautiful. The plane was much cleaner than the other one I crashed with. The buttons were shiny, the seat was comfortable, and the plane's front window was clear and fresh. I placed the old photo of my family that was in my pocket on the plane window. I put on the headphones that were hanging from the ceiling of the plane and hooked up the radio.

"Kace, do you copy?" Alvie asked through the microphone. I replied back with an affirmative "yes". "Hey! Give that back, this is not a toy!" I heard Alvie shout. "KACE CAN YOU HEAR ME???!!" Alastair yelled through the radio. This kid can't catch a break, can he. My ears started ringing. "Yes, I do." I replied as my ears rang. I put on the pilot's helmet and started the plane. The plane started going upwards. I could hear the plane rumbling loudly and the engines beginning. I took a deep breath and then got ready for the flight. I put on the oxygen mask. It was loud outside and I heard many people cheering for me. I looked out the window and saw Alastair and his friends jumping around and cheering came from them. I realized Aella wasn't there, only King Elias. I sighed and put my focus on the mission. Get your head in the game Kace. I thought to myself. I looked at the lever to activate the plane and then it started.

There was Alvie holding tall, bright orange pillars to get me to move the plane in the correct direction as I did so. I started to move it slowly and then it went faster and faster. There was a rumble showing a sign that I was nearly in the air. Then after a few moments, I was up in the sky. The ground started to grow further and further away from me until it was me and the plane. I felt like a real pilot. I felt like myself again. And I felt free.

I couldn't see the border yet so I flew upwards. It was a sunny day, almost cloudless. Good thing Alvie checked the weather or I would've already been knocked out of the plane and hurtling towards the Earth. I looked through the window outside and still was not able to see the border. I believed it was going to take a while, so I had no choice but to remain patient until I could see the lightning, and darkness of the border.

"All systems go" I said to myself.

During the hours of flight, I was thinking about Aella and my mom. I knew I shouldn't have said those things to my mom but I just wanted to pursue my dreams. Then I thought about how my grandma felt when she found out dad died due to a plane crash. My grandma allowed my dad to fly a plane and encouraged him to do it. It must've felt like it was her fault that her son died. So maybe that's why mom never really supported my dream in becoming a pilot. She didn't want to be at fault for my death... I sighed and after a while of riding the plane, I set it to autopilot and went to take a nap to charge myself for the next moment.

Rumble, rumble.. I woke up and then ran to the front of the plane to check what was happening. The skies began to darken and grow dim. It all reminded me of the plane crash and Sammy's death. There were monsters and creatures flying and cackling all around the border. The monsters and creatures had horns, tails and teeth like lions, they had clothing on them that were ripped and what I would call.. Beasts. They looked like Armanians but more darker. Each of them had different colours of skin. Some were dark purple and others were a snow white. They all had one thing in common,big dark wings. They were walking, running and flying all across the land of the border. Now I understood why no Armanian could pass the dark and scary land. I flew the plane downwards and away from the monstrosity and hid the plane to pass the windy lands. "HISSSSSS'' a creature screamed. "Looks like we have another human!" The creatures laughed and were mumbling gibberish words to each other. I couldn't understand what they were saying. I was shaking in fear and agitation was filling my body up like water filling a cup. They all began to approach me but the border stopped them from doing so. It seemed that the curse they put on the Armanians had a downside. They couldn't pass into Armani. Relief showered over my body. I watched as the monsters struggled to reach me. I observed and studied their movements. It seemed they didn't know the border was there. It was quite amusing watching them smash into the border every time they tried to attack me. The fighting happened for several hours. I could see their bodies began to weaken. I saw my plane in the distance in the nimbostratus clouds and climbed in. I took a deep breath. I talked into the microphone and said, "I am about to cross the border."

I pulled all my bravery together and moved the plane forward. The Bedalians couldn't do anything. They were too tired to move. The plane reached closer and closer to the border. The border was a wall of tiny yellow particles. I moved the plane towards it. Then, I passed through the other side. The particles just let me pass through with ease. The Bedalians looked at me, aggravated. But they were too tired to move. I wanted to stick my tongue out but that would've made them more angry. Instead, I stuck my head out of the plane window and yelled, "Suck it green boys!" I saluted at the Bedalians and went back inside the plane laughing to myself. One of the Bedalians grinded their teeth and lunged towards the plane. I dogged him and continued flying.

Bedaliah was the exact opposite of Armani. The sky was a dark maroon colour with tints of red in it. The clouds were dark and big. The place looked horrifying and dystopian. Instead of the buildings on the clouds, they were on floating islands. The floating islands were no different than the clouds. Bedaliah looked like an overpopulated city with many factories polluting the atmosphere. It was a very compact place. The creatures there were no different from the land either. They looked miserable and malnourished. Some were bigger than others but they all had the same depressed look on their faces. Plus, it stinked. Like rotten fish and socks combined into one gray disgusting smoothie. The smell was unbearable. I was thankful that I had an oxygen mask, or else I would be throwing up by now.. They looked at my plane but didn't do anything. I think they were too busy polluting the place.

I had to make sure I was not noticed or who knows what they might do to me. I searched around for the queen, Chiara. There was nothing and no sight of her. Before I broke Aella's heart, she told me that her mother had dark black hair like hers and when she was kidnapped, she was wearing a long white dress with a leather belt around her waist. She even gave me a picture. I kept glancing at the picture as I tried finding Queen Chiara around until I saw a gleaming light in the distance shining under a door.