Flying

Chapter 35: Needs and Wants

Gasping for breath, I collapse backwards on the ground. My spirit is completely drained of energy, and I feel as though the slightest breath of wind would knock me over. Mauricio lies motionless. The golden glow around his body has faded away. The small boy drapes lifelessly over Slightly's arms.

"No please," Slightly whispers. "Please, come back."

Peter roughly drags his sleeve across his eyes. Sniffles and muffled sobs echo through the camp. Wind presses a hand over her lips, her shoulders shaking with silent tears. My throat tightens sharply as I gaze at the limp figure.

Suddenly, Mauricio's eyes snap open. With a sharp gasp, he sits up. Gazing around at the group, he cocks his head to the side.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"Mauricio?" I whisper.

"Yes?" Mauricio looks at me. "Why is everyone staring at me? What's the matter?"

"What's the matter?" Peter grabs front of his shirt and shakes the boy. "You almost died, you bloody git!"

"I didn't mean to." Mauricio twists away and frees himself from Peter's grip. "I just wanted to live without magic."

"Why in any world would you want to do that?" Wind leans down next to the boy.

"Because it ruins everything!" Mauricio bursts out. "It's ruined our lives."

"Darling, you don't know what you're saying." Wind kneels next to Mauricio. "Magic gives us power. Magic provides a purpose for our family. Magic is what keeps us alive."

"At what cost?"

Wind blinks several times. The boy's question seems to daze her mind. Furrowing her brow, Wind digs her fingers into her temples as if to clear her brain. Gently, Mauricio places a hand on her arm. She gazes at him with clouded eyes.

"Wind, you have done so much for me. You and Peter saved me from the foster homes. You gave me a home, and you took care of me for years." Mauricio looks around at the rest of the boys. "All of you have been like family to me. But I can't keep living this way. It's not worth it. Living with magic isn't worth the cost." Gesturing around the group, the boy shakes his head. "Look at all of you! Can you honestly say that you are happy? What has the power brought us but more fighting? We have no purpose. No peace. No future. Eternal life is not worth the cost."

Mauricio falls silent. There is a long pause while his words sink in. Wind shifts uncomfortably while the boys look down at the ground.

Finally, Peter inhales deeply. "I know it seems that..."

"No."

All of us turn our heads towards Wind. Her soft voice hardly sounds like the girl I have come to know and hate. She is quietly strong instead of manic with rage. Sure and steady instead of viciously violent.

"No," Wind repeats. "Peter, we've had them too long. They get to make their own choices now. They may look like children, but they've all grown up. If they want to go, we must let them."

"Thank you." Mauricio squeezes Wind's hand before standing. "I'm ready."

"You can't go alone," Slightly protests. "You'll be by yourself, and you still look like a kid."

Mauricio puts his hands on his hips. "I can take care of myself."

"You shouldn't have to." Slightly thrusts his chin out. "I'll go too."

"You hardly look older than me." Mauricio laughs.

The identical twins look at each other for a moment and then nod. "We'll come along and look after them," they say in unison.

"As will I," Nibs agrees.

One by one the other boys step forward until the entire group surrounds Mauricio. They clap him on the back, laughing and cheering. Their raucous clamor fills the forest.

"Hold!"

Peter lifts his hand, halting the noise. Immediately, the boys fall silent and come to attention.

"They can't leave." Peter turns to Wind. "If they do, they will die. As soon as the dark pixie powder leaves their system, they will collapse. No hospital or doctor will be able to save them."

One of the boys points to me. "But she can fix us, right?"

Everyone's heads swivel towards me. Large eyes stare at me curiously. Now, I know what it feels like to be a fish in an aquarium.

"Yes!" Mauricio's face lights up. "She can help us, and then, we can all go home."

"We won't have to use the pixie powder anymore?" Nibs asks.

Slightly throws his hat in the air with a joyful shout. "We'll be able to live normal lives!"

The boys start chattering again. Their excited plans and hopes for the future echo around the clearing. The younger boys start dancing around happily while the older ones discuss living situations and job prospects. Awkwardly, I clear my throat. No one pays any attention. Obviously these boys are not attuned to subtle social cues. I guess I'll have to go with something a bit more forceful. Pushing my right hand at the ground, I release a pulse of energy. The earth beneath us shakes for a few seconds. A few of the boys topple over, but most remain on their feet. After I pull my hand back, the ground stills. I graciously allow a few seconds for everyone to regain their balance before speaking.

"Well, now that I have your attention, I must apologize. I wish that I could have given you longer to rejoice, but I must let you know that what you are asking of me is impossible."

"But you saved me!" Mauricio objects.

"Yes, and it nearly killed you and drained me," I respond. "I don't have enough cleansing magic to treat all of you. My energy essence isn't strong enough on its own."

"Maybe it doesn't need to be on its own." Wind crosses over to me. "You can draw on mine and Peter's."

"I don't remember volunteering myself," Peter grumbles under his breath.

"I prefer to work alone," I ignore Peter and reply to Wind.

"Well, what you prefer and what you need could be two different things," Wind shoots back at me.

I take a few steps back and turn away, so she cannot see the effect her words have on me. Instantly, my mind flies back to an icy night when I lay next to a roguishly handsome pirate who said those same words to me. Biting my lower lip, I pull my thoughts back to the present.

"Fine," I say shortly. "We'll do it your way."

"Good." Wind stretches her hand out to me. "Then, let's get started."

Happy Christmas and Holidays!

I hope everyone is having a joyous holiday wherever you may be! Thank you for reading the next chapter of Flying. Spoiler alert: Hook will be making another entrance within the next few chapters, so keep reading!

Fun Fact:

The word aquarium comes from the root word aqua, which means water, with the suffix -arium, which means "a place for relating to".  The aquarium came into popularity in the Vicotrian era. English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse created and filled the first aquarium in 1853 at the London Zoo.

I remain your,

Commodore Caroline