Absence of Day

Some Turbulence

The wind tore her breath away as Day ran from the roaring fire, towards the blistering storm. She was not sure which was worse, getting burned to death by the flames or whipped away by the winds. But then she looked at the place she had been heading, and she saw the remains of the path for the first time, and it went right through that forest.

Day stumbled to a halt. This was it. Where her mission ended. Because she was not brave enough to face her fear. She knew she would never get through that forest because... well, her mind flicked back to that day.

Day stumbled through the flames, her hand clutching that of a smiling baby girl. The girl nestled into her arms and ignored the fire and ashes and smoke, and even the screaming. Her attention was fixed entirely on Day's eyes as she had narrowed them in protection against the fine ash. Then, the baby girl saw a column beside them collapse and began to cry.

"Hush, child," Day comforted the girl as tears and smoke fell down her plump cheeks. Day saw the fear in her sister's eyes. But she was going to get them out of the burning building. Then, their father appeared.

"Leave her," he said. "Save yourself." Day clutched the child even closer to her and glared, her face streaked with soot. "Never," she said. Then, another collapse of the burning building creaked. Her father moved, but not quick enough. He screamed as the giant piece of burning wood covered his body and he was burned alive. Day looked, and screamed. Her sister stopped crying and peered at her. Day screamed until her throat went raw and she fell to her knees. But she remembered she had to get out. In a daze, she remembered a firefighter carrying her and her sister out the doorway, and her collapsing in the soothing night grass. Her father was dead. A few hours later, it was reported their mother had not made it out either. Her sister was all she had had.

And then they had been separated too. With her foster parents, in their little shack. Her sister had been with her at the orphanage until she alone had been adopted, and forced to leave her sister behind. She loved her new parents, but she also despised them because they had separated her from her sister. No, if she went through a fire again, she would not be spared this time. Day watched the fire consume the forest and the fire slowly crept up the path, quickly catching the slick surface on fire somehow. Day moaned with the hopelessness. Then, she heard the familiar roar of a helicopter. She looked up to see the inner paneling retract back and a pole slid down. Day knew the procedure. She placed her hands and feet on the grips on the poles and waited. Slowly, as she clung on, the pole slid up, carrying her with it. When the pole had reached the inside of the copter, and the inner paneling had slid shut, Day stepped off the pole and looked around cautiously, her hands digging into her sides.

"So... where are you heading?" a voice off to her left asked. Day whipped around and fixed her gaze on an odd boy. He had a sloppily done haircut and a black fedora perched lopsidedly on his head. His breeches sagged on his thin legs and his blue eyes twinkled merrily at her.

"Where do you think I am heading?" Day demanded. "East."

"Yes." The boy agreed amiably. "Because that was so obvious." Was that a hint of of sarcasm in his voice? Day narrowed her eyes at him but her wet body was thanking him for getting her out of that rain.

"Are you supposed to be driving this helicopter?" Day asked, noticing his hands placed firmly on the controls. The boy silently showed her his license and Day nodded her understanding.

"Why are you out here in the middle of the nightly hurricane?" Day asked the boy curiously.

"Why are you out in the middle of the nightly hurricane?" The boy countered.

"I... I don't know." Day stuttered. "I - I just - "

"I'm running away." the boy said helpfully.

"I suppose I am too." Day muttered. "Wise guy. And how did you get a helicopter - driving license at... your age?" Day asked. The boy snorted.

"You ask too many questions." He responded. "Josh is my name and adventure is my game. Before you ask that question too."

"Where are you going?" Day asked. The boy leaned hard to one side on the steering sticks and the helicopter careened towards the fire.

"Now that you are aboard, east." the boy said.

"Above the fire." Day muttered. "Wonderful." She shuddered at the thought of those leaping flames devouring her like they had her parents. Her real parents.

"It can't hurt us from here." The boy grinned. "I don't think. Why are you running away?"

"Now the guy asks some questions." Day muttered remorsefully.

"Sure," Josh said. "Why not?" Day's heart jolted into a fast gallop.

"We gotta beat the storm." She said, purposely avoiding the question and hoping he didn't notice. He gave her a knowing grin and, leaning forward, pushed the accelerator. The helicopter, unlike old ones, was roomy and vast, like most of 'em theses days. She had to slide across the whole eight feet length of the floor from the force of the acceleration instead of just slamming against the wall. At last, she hit the wall and flattened herself against the hard aluminum surface.

"I forgot to warn you to harness in!" Josh laughed. Day glared at him.

"You think?" she asked, a snarl clear on her lips.

"Oh, sorry if I offended you - or permanently injured you." He added daringly. Day winced at the painful rug burns across her arms.

"A little warning would have been nice." she said.

"At least we're beating the storm." Josh exclaimed triumphantly.

"At least," she muttered. Josh looked at her, his piercing blue eyes disturbing.

"I need to go somewhere." He murmured. "Somewhere where I can escape rich bullies and snobby folks who look down upon poor like we're dirt. I need to rise above somewhere not weighed down by ranks of where you are born to, where you can be whoever you want." He raised his head longingly.

"I'm looking for daybreak." Day whispered. "I am looking for the moon and sun. I am searching for day. I am looking for myself." She lowered her head.
Josh and Day looked at each other, each with an odd recognition showing in their eyes. His hand slipped from the controls and hers pushed off the wall. They clasped hands.

"We will find the daybreak, and with it, adventure." he said.

And then, the helicopter hit a patch of turbulence and veered down.