The Flight

Out of the blue, there was a knock on my door.

When I answered it, there was a man I didn't recognize standing on my doorstep.

"Are you Andrea?" he asked.

"Yes...?"

The man moved aside and you stepped out from around the corner. You were standing in the shadows, head down, lifting just your eyes to look at me. I dashed out from the doorway and wrapped my arms around you.

"I can't believe you're here."

"I want to show you something," you said.

Without warning, the ground disappeared from underneath my feet, and I was floating up and up, the wind whipping at my hair. I let out a startled gasp as I clenched you more tightly and buried my face in your shoulder.

"It's okay," you said in a calm tone. "You won't fall."

As we continued to move swiftly through the air, I peaked out from the protection of your shoulder and stared into the deep night sky, marveling at the stars gleaming brightly. For a moment, I forgot my fear.

"How... how are you doing this?"

You whispered gently into my ear, "you can do it too."

"No," I said in disbelief. "I can't do this... How?"

"Let go of me," you said.

Fear suddenly renewed, I tightened my grip around you and buried my face again.

"Do it," you said.

I chanced a look into your eyes.

"I... I can't," I said, trembling.

"Trust me," you said evenly. "You won't fall."

There was care and confidence in your face. You were sure of yourself, and more importantly you were sure of me. Slowly and awkwardly, like a child stepping one toe at a time into a swimming pool, I loosened my grip around you, letting one arm relax, then the other, until my body fell away from yours. To my astonishment, I was floating too!

"Oh my god." I looked all around me - at you, at my feet, at my hands, back at you, up, down, all around me again. "But I'm not doing this. How is this happening?"

"I'm doing it. I can teach you to do it too, if you'll trust me."

I looked in your eyes again, searching for reassurance. "Okay," I said, still feeling a bit uneasy.

"Move yourself up."

"How?"

"Don't think about how. Just do it."

I frowned for a moment, but then - just like that - I floated upward.

You looked at me with a little smirk of arrogance, as if to say, see? I told you so!

"I'm going to move now. I want you do follow me."

You drifted a few feet away from me and then stopped. I approached you.

You drifted even faster and farther. Again, I moved toward you.

You looked at me with confident approval. "Let's go," you commanded.

"Go where?"

It was already too late, you were on your way and I had little choice but to follow. Together we flew over trees and hills through the darkness of night, your eyes always looking straight ahead, mine wandering in amazement between you and the twinkling stars. The question of our destination quickly faded. This was fun, and I loved you for showing it to me. I could do this all night.

But as suddenly as it began, it was now coming to an end. We began to descend, and I recognized the familiar site of my home growing larger beneath my feet. You faced me and put your warm hands on my arms as if to guide me. My toes once again touched the ground.

"I have to go," you said, your hands still grasping my arms.

"But you just got here!" I protested.

"I have shown you what you needed to see. Do you realize now what you are capable of?"

My lips trembled, my cheeks burned, and I felt tears well up in my eyes. Your expression softened.

"I'll be back someday."

"When?"

"When you're not expecting it."

With a long gaze, you warmly squeezed my arms in a half hug. Then you quickly walked away, fading into the dark. I knew I could not follow you. I slumped against the door frame and cried.