Metamorphosis

Chapter 20: Mira Takes A Walk

The moonlight filtered through the plane windows, shining directly onto the bottom bunk that Mira lay in the plane on the ride over to Australia from Kenya. She blinked and stared right at the bright half-moon, squinting slightly as it shone into her blue-green eyes. 

Flipping over, she tried to get comfortable, but it didn't help her at all.  The mattress was lumpy, and the springs kept making squeaky noises every time she shifted a part of her body.

She quietly flipped onto her stomach, hoping she might sleep better, but after a few minutes like that, she realized that it was no use.

All she could think about was how the first part of the mission went, and how she hadn't realized just how exciting it was.

Truth be told, she was terrified the whole time, but in her heart she knew that it was what she was meant to do. To be an agent, and help the world like all of the other teens in Squad A. She loved feeling like she made a difference, even though all she did was help Saige with the technology and helped find out where the heck they were.

However, she couldn't help but feel like something wasn't right. Like there was a piece of the puzzle missing that no one had even realized was gone.

It felt like there was something no one had noticed yet, but was right under their noses the entire time.

Bringing the Usipi Stone back to the Kenyan base after taking it back from Venom, or whatever they called themselves had been easy.

Almost too easy.

She furrowed her eyebrows. The whole thing seemed like it was too easy. 

The guards went out with one swipe from Nyle--all of them. Not even a single one hit their heads and tried to get up. They simply all went out cold.

Mira knew that there was something wrong with that picture, but she couldn't place how. Rolling over, she sighed as the plane rocked a little bit. Though she trusted Brendan and his skills, she couldn't help but wonder exactly how good he was.

Every time the plane jolted, a wave of panic rose over her, only to die down as the ride smoothed out. And it didn't help that they were in bunk beds. She didn't really understand the practicality of having bunk beds on a plane. If the plane were to crash, wouldn't it be more detrimental than anything to have a bunk bed? The beds could fall over and crush someone, and then that was the end of that.

Another area of turbulence and she took in a shaky breath.

Maybe some coffee will help me calm down a little bit, Mira thought. She threw the blanket off of her body and shivered at the cold air that greeted her. Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, she used her toes to search for the ladder rungs, as she was on a top bunk.

She climbed down the rickety structure, hoping that she wouldn't wake up any of the other girls, who had all fallen asleep the moment they fell into bed. She couldn't help but envy the way they could all sleep so peacefully so quickly.

After putting on some slippers, Mira snuck out of the girl's room and closed the door, only being able to hear the noise faintly.

Satisfied that she had been quiet enough that no one woke up, she began her trek down the hallway, pattering noiselessly. She was thankful that the plane was new, and that none of the floors squeaked. As she passed by the boy's room, she thought of Nyle.

Her cheeks turned pink just at the thought of how she'd spoken to him when they were sparring. Her mind couldn't get over how she had flirted with him.

She wasn't one to flirt! She could barely get up enough courage to tease him. Well, him and Saige. 

That night, Mira had gushed to Saige about how embarrassed she was. She felt like she had stepped over a line of some kind. She had flirted with him. Normally, he was the only one flirting, and Mira wasn't even sure if he was being serious half the time.

Crimson invaded the pink on her cheeks as she wondered if he was serious.

Most of the time, he was joking, and when it came to serious things, he would usually be jokey about it. In her heart, she wished--hoped--that he was serious, but she knew that he wasn't one for showing his true feelings. He simply covered them up with cheap humor and sarcasm. 

Mira wished he wouldn't. She wished that he would show people his true colours so that he would realize that people can love him for who he is, not for who he appears to be. 

He always hid behind his facade of always being cool about everything, and being the suave class clown.

She frowned. 

Mira couldn't think of the last time Nyle had actually been worried about something and showed it. 

Sighing, she stepped into the small kitchen on the second floor of the plane and searched for the coffee machine.

They would land in Sydney, Australia in about five hours. After flying to India from Kenya, and then to Indonesia from there, their final stop before the next leg of their mission would be in Sydney, where they would have to find and retrieve the Vasili Gem.

She finally found the coffee making materials and got to work. Their coffee machine was nearly soundless, which, at this moment, was a great relief.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting up in one of the comfy chairs in the cabin. It was plush, though slightly cold because of the atmosphere, and practically molded to her thin-framed body. She felt safer sitting there than lying in a bunk that could topple at any moment. 

Sipping her hot coffee, she looked out the window, watching the moonlight reflect off of the rippling ocean waters. 

It was glimmers of white and pale blue against a dark, endless horizon. She could barely distinguish the sky from the sea, but it didn't matter to her. It was beautiful and peaceful.

She drank in the sights, hoping that she could keep some of that peace with her.

____________________________________________________________

Dear readers,

So, this is a glimpse into the mind of Mira and her thoughts about the mission, and Nyle, and more. Does this make you like her more? Less? The same? 

What are your thoughts? Comment below!

-flygirl1

P.S. Don't forget to vote!