Until We Fly

Chapter 8: Angel

"...James?"

"Go away."

"Honey...you can't stay up in your room all week."

"Try and stop me."

"Please, just come down and have a little bite? Something small to eat? I can bring you a snack if you like?"

"I'm not hungry."

".....everyone's worried about you, James. Please."

"I said, go away, Natalie."

"...okay...I just hope you're still thinking about everyone else. Especially Köleil. Look at her. She's been sat up here with you the entire time just to make sure you're okay. Take care, James. I'll come back to check on you both later."

Then she shut the door.

I sighed, gripping Köleil's hand a little tighter.

"What's wrong with them all, Kö? How can they not see..."

"Köleil is confused also. Köleil didn't know that when someone...stopped breathing...people would forget."

"They don't. That's what I can't understand. Everyone's acting as if Keiran...was never there. His friends, people at school, the teachers, Nat, Paul, Jayden...even his own damn parents!"

It had been almost a week since we'd seen...
We ran to the house, desperate to find help.
Once everyone was listening we took them to where the wreckage was but...
It wasn't there. The whole thing had just disappeared.

I told them it was Keiran.
But no one knew who Keiran was.
Not Nat.
Not Paul.
Not Jayden.
Not his family.

I couldn't take it.
It was driving me crazy.
Only Köleil and I could remember him.
But why?
How?
It just didn't make sense.

Even Nim, Poppy and Jake were clueless.
Like the many, pointless particles that had drifted across the room, he was forgotten.

Like the gentle breeze that passed day by day, he was forgotten.

Like all the hard effort from the sun, the moon to keep us all alive, he was forgotten.

It just didn't make sense.

But did anything?

"Köleil is sure that Nim wants to see James. Nim has been sending lots of messages, yes? But James has not sent any back yet."

"...yeah...I'll message her. We'll go see everyone today. I think it's finally time to get out of this pit of emotions and find out what's going on."

'Hey, Nim. Sorry I didn't reply sooner but you know what went down. Can me and Köleil come over today? I'd like some more training, if anyone is free, please.'

'Sure thing. Meet at the willow tree again? Also, don't worry about me and Jake. We've sorted it out now xx'

'Yeah. Willow tree is fine. What time?'

'How about...right now?'

'Sure. Be there soon.'

"Hey, Köleil? You should get dressed. We're going to see Nim and the others."

"Aww! But Köleil likes her pajamamas!"

"Pajamas. And come on now, I'm not walking you through the town like that. Just go put on some of the clothes that Nat gave you. You can change yourself now, right?"

"Yes! After the practice, Köleil can do the changing all by herself now!"

"Good. Go on then. I'll wait."