Hello Hurricane {English Translation}

32. Daniel - Bischofshofen - Day of qualification

Powerfully, the wind made its way through the atmosphere. Paltered its merciless game with the gigantic gray cloud mountains. Agitated them, dived under them, brushed over them. Faster and higher, he whirled around snowflakes that had just left their home. Clueless and full of ideals they were floating in the direction of the earth, light as feathers they sank in the darkness and enveloped the earth in silent, muffling white.

Far away from the valley, the wind carried the dull roar of the crowd up into the small forest that towered darkly on the mountain. Dusk had already start and promised a cold night. Daniel had his face turned upward, looking up at the cloudy mountains, who were passing by. He watched as small frayed clouds lurched past the thick grey mass above. Stretched out his arms and imagined what it would be like to be able to move with the clouds. Feeling the wind tug at his arms as if he were asking him to come along, to leave behind the earth. Hypocritically, they promised him the carelessness and lightness of being.

Nevertheless, Daniel gave himself to this feeling for a moment. Closed his eyes and listened to the wind, which elegantly made his way through the trees. Today he had opened his mouth. Had speak up. It hadn't been anything worldshaking. He had neither had his coming out nor held the speech on the occasion of world peace. There had just been a few words stumbling out of his mouth he hadn't expected. It felt like they had broken out illegally out of his mouth. Out of a prison. Like criminals. He had prayed, petrified, that no one would notice what they really meant. That the would turn boys turn away without continuing to speak about it.

A snowflake gently landed on his cheek, tearing him out of his rigidity as it melted on his cheek. Domen had gone deeper under his skin than he had ever wanted. Only a few weeks ago, he had dreamed only from afar of Domen without allowing himself to be more of it. The little taunts had been the only weakness he couldn't turn off. And then the forest had started to attract them. Had let them repeatedly meet each other and plunged into chaos.

And now he was standing here because he needed a moment to breathe deeply. Because life continued to drive him mercilessly.

What is the plan for Bischofshofen now? How do you feel about, Daniel? Do you still have questions? You like to jump here in B-hofen, right? What would the victory mean to you? How did the skies run? Which suit do you want to take? Do you need something? Do you think you can beat Kamil? Have you had time to realize what happened yesterday?

No, he hadn't. He hadn't even managed to realize, what had happened just three hours ago. What he had done, because those beautiful dark green eyes with the brown speckles in it, had hit him to the core. Because they threatened to realize that the reality could be more cruel than any nightmare.

Sighing, Daniel looked at his watch, cast a last longing look to the horizon, before he turned and walked slowly back through the darkness. Soon it would be his turn. The qualification jump. Shivering, he pulled his hood a bit lower in the face, listened to the crunch of his footsteps, which slowly mixed with the noises from the jumper's accommodation. The humming of the wax machines, the almost rhythmic dull thudding of volleyballs, the hectic tumult of its inhabitants, the intermingled conversations.

Daniel just reluctantly left the darkness that had given him a short break and stepped right back into chaos. Startled because he almost collided with Simon Ammann's ski ends.

"Sorry!", The Swiss shouted over his shoulder and hurried on without stopping, while Jarkko was comming past by from the other direction. "Crap, crap crap! My wedges! I'm late ... "he mumbled under his breath, walking past Daniel without taking any notice of him.

A little time until qualification remained for him. He knew that if he wanted to win the tour, he needed a nearly perfect jump. And yes, he wanted to win the tour. That was one of his childhood dreams, which now seemed close enough to touch. Daniel had gone through his jump countless times.