Sky

“The islands in the sky are real!”

She shouted while looking out the window of the helicopter. The large green islands with trees of different colors filled her sight. Her and her family’s dream had been accomplished. She couldn’t contain her excitement. Endless days of work and all-nighters had resulted in finding these islands. The endless days were finally over. The islands were no longer a myth that had been passed down for centuries.

She ran towards her partner. Even he who usually kept his cool had to give a grin. He himself hadn’t been in it for the adventure. He needed the money. When she invited him on her expedition to the sky islands, he had thought of it as nothing more than a chance for money. The money was a good enough amount to keep him going until he found a better job. That reason alone had become an entire ordeal of getting her up to the sky.

After seeing her work day and night, he hadn’t been able to turn her down. She worked so hard for her family work, and he couldn’t leave her behind. He still wasn’t sure what his reason was for going to the sky, but he was … content that he did so.

Once the helicopter landed, the girl jumped to pull down a ladder. The helicopter would be back to pick them up as soon as she made the call. She didn’t think she would last all that long considering the elevation, but that didn’t ruin the sight of the sky island for her.

While she stumbled down the ladder in excitement, he made his way down step by step. After tripping over her own feet she pulled herself back up and stared in awe. The heavy gear they had bought was left untouched. It wasn’t cold nor windy, and the air was fine to breathe in. It was almost like being at sea-level.

The helicopter took off again. The boy sat down on a rock he found. It took the girl a while to take in what she was seeing. A forest with endless colors. It was something that could only be imagined, but there it was, right in front of her.

After taking in the sight, she decided to map the area.

That was the only reason she had been able to launch the expedition. Very little people knew how to map in that day and age. Being one of the only ones, she could give a detailed map of the sky island to the world below.

She took measurements, and wrote notes that she considered useful. All while he sat on a rock.

Why was he there you ask? Why was someone who couldn’t do much scientifically accompanying a girl who who knew everything science? That was something other people in the expedition asked as well. She had answered with a simple: “How many of you can travel without analyzing a single thing?” That kept them quiet for a long time. They knew as well as her that if the island was discovered it would become an uproar all around the world. Who could make some kind of discovery? Who could be the first to live up there? With one person that simply went up there to enjoy the view, the uproar would die down a little bit.

That’s exactly what he was. Someone who could care less about discovering anything. He did it because he enjoyed it, nothing more. His skills also came in handy. It helped her even though her ego would never allow her to admit it.

 

People like that don’t come around every day, and she knew that. When he came wandering in looking for a job, she had no other choice.

When she finally finished measuring, she wanted to explore. He only sighed at this fact, and followed her. All he could do was watch her frantically take measurements and blabber on about who-knows-what.  

He let out a dramatic groan, and walked towards a tree. She didn’t notice him climbing it to get the leaf. The trees towered over her like giants. The different colors above her.

“Where are you?”

She yelled, searching the ground for him. He only smiled, and waved at her from a sturdy branch in the tree.

She had never been that great when it came to anything outdoors, but together they created a team that worked well. She was made for analyzing. He was made for adventuring. That was how it worked, and neither of them cared about it.

They had both achieved something out of it.

By Anonymous