Dead Clouds

Chapter 8 (1/3): Kiri

Staring up at the fifty meter cloud before him, Radius understood his insignificance. Humans were measly creatures compared to clouds. These gods wielded power over the elements and physical properties that made them nearly indestructible. People worshiped clouds out of reverence, but out of fear as well. A wrathful god signified the end of times.

Radius believed that it was the end. Even without his glasses, he saw his demise clearly. The taste of blood felt as natural in his mouth as saliva.

"Snap out of it!" shouted Gold, "Remember our dream?!"

"You chased after me," said Radius with eyes fixed on the stratus cloud, "Why?"

The question pulled Gold's eyes to the ground, where he saw Radius's glasses. The visual aid was beyond repair. He chuckled, relating too much to an inanimate object. From his perspective, the world never stopped shattering. Tiny pieces became tinier pieces until the eye no longer tracked the painful process. Nevertheless, the body still felt every crack.

Gold swallowed hard, preparing his tongue for the answer. It was clear to him that the only way a person stopped the shattering was by putting the pieces back together. No matter how small the pieces got, the memory of the image remained whole inside of a person's mind.

His body radiated with golden light as fists tightened by his side. He knew that their only chance at victory was to remember. They had to remember the way Nube City looked during peaceful times. They had to remember the happiness on the faces of their friends and family. They had to remember because saving the image was the only way they could save the city.

"Because we have a job to do," started Gold, confidence slowly strengthened his voice as if muscles spelled out his words, "Today is about cleaning-up the city. And I'm not just talking about trash!"

He continued, "We have to clean-up the fear. We have to clean-up the sadness. We have to clean-up the gods that think they can come down here and destroy our home!"

"Gold," mumbled Radius as he finally tore his gaze away from the cloud.

"I can't hold a broom," said Gold, looking at his hands, "I can't put trash in a garbage bag. I can't even let the people see that I'm alright."

The ghost channeled sadness, anger, and hope into his words, "I felt useless back there. At least, until I realized that there was something I could do. Radius, when we become the Skeleton Man, I'm alive again. I can run, taste the air, talk, and be part of the physical world."

"I don't lose myself when I become the Skeleton Man... I find myself," said Gold.

The ghost's speech chased away all despair. One moment Radius was on his knees, and suddenly, he found himself back on his feet. The ground trembled as the stratus cloud took another monstrous step, but the genius wasn't phased. His legs were firmly planted. Neither his body nor his heart wavered.

The golden beams of light emitting from Gold's body ameliorated Radius's vision. It was him. The Gold that courageously pursued the cirrus cloud finally returned.

"The gods can do what they want with me," said Gold bitterly, "But when they threaten my friends, your family, and our city... that pisses me off."

Gold extended his fist, "If they want a war, they got one!"

Such righteous sentiments almost made Radius smile. He stared at the fist as rain drops sunk through the shimmering knuckles. His grandparents needed his help. Thinking of their endless altruism, he figured the time had come for recompense. This was the perfect opportunity to thank them.

"Let's do our part to clean the city," said Radius, meeting the ghosts's fist with his own, "There's an overgrown cloud in need of immediate dissipation."