Sky Jump

by Anastasia Bolinder

  “Harold will pick up your items and you can then see your room if you would like.” She said with a smile, though I saw her eyes linger on my guitar in an odd fashion.

  Nodding, I was starting to think that maybe if people were as nice as the principal’s aide seemed, then I might survive. Though only time would tell as I still felt like clinging to my father.

  “Oh, how terribly rude of me, I’m Jean Amiss.” she smiled and nodded, “Yes, it is as it sounds but I promise you I am not as amiss as I may sometimes seem.” she winked with a kind smile.

  I nodded and my father smiled.

  “Nice to meet you, I’m Paxton and this is Equila.” My father said looking to me.

  She nodded and smiled as she sat back down onto the high backed leather chair.

  “Very nice to meet you both and quite a lovely name you have Equila, it’s from the olden days, isn’t it? The valley where the Skyjump people lived if I recall correctly.” she said with a finger to her lips in thought.

  I took a soft gulp, very few people knew the origin of my name as I nodded stiffly.

  My father caught the way I stiffened and spoke smoothly as only one who had hidden for a life time-knew.

  “Her mother loved the name because its meaning is peace-giver.” He said nodding to me with a loving glint in his eyes for both me and the mention of his wife.

  Again, I nodded, caught in a situation I wished I had time to foresee.

  “It is a nice meaning. Now sorry to dilly dally, what was it you needed to talk to the principal about?” Jean asked kindly.

  My father glanced to me and then out the door, I followed his gaze and before he could speak I realized my pillow was still in the truck!

  “Oh no.” I breathed.

  My father’s mouth was ajar about to speak as both of them looked over.

  “What’s the matter?” Jean asked pleasantly.

  I shook my head and looked to my father.

  “I forgot my pillow out in the truck! Can I just go grab it while you discuss... Whatever?” I asked looking to him.

  He nodded and pulled the keys from his pocket that had a little bottle of sand from when we went to a city where the ground was tainted a sparkling black and I bottled some and gave it to him for his birthday many years ago.

  “I’ll be right back.” I said, turning with a nod as I slipped out the door, seeing the way it relieved him I would be gone.

  Looking out at the large halls and softly glinting ground below me, I started off and turned right at the corner, heading for the doors in the very far distance. My shoes soft patter was the only sound in the large establishment.

  I wondered what my father could possibly be talking with Jean about. Maybe it was about the fact I was a Skyjump and or Mage? I shook my head as my shoes scuffed the moon dust floor with the keys jingling in my lose grip. I was happy in one way no one was here, it meant I had time to get ready for the questions about where I live or my family. I had never had friends for long, if any, with how we moved and now it felt daunting to be somewhere like La’ket where I would be around them all the time.

  I looked to the walls as the large glass doors became closer and closer, maybe he was just telling her I needed to be watched. That, I knew, was something he would do, because if he was not with me, someone had to be watching me. Only once had I ever been left alone and it was for only a half an hour with a kind old woman my father trusted for some reason. She was very kind and she too had a bracelet on her wrist signifying who she was. I nodded, realizing now that was enough reason to trust her.

  Coming to the glass doors I skid to a stop and swung them open into the fresh air; the door again clicked as I held them open and took in a good whiff, I doubted they would not let us roam the green hills around the school and maybe I considered, I could even run along the hills some time when no one was watching in my beast form!

  Suddenly, I felt the weight of fear lifting slowly at such ideas about this strange school.

  Smiling, I left the door and came to the truck. As I reached for the back door a stiff gust of warm air knocked the keys from my grasp.

  I jumped down for them and thankfully caught them before they hit the hot asphalt. My brow furrowed as I stood up and glanced around, the wind had not been that harsh seconds ago.

  Looking out at the hills we had come over to get here, they shook slightly and I felt my chest constrict as my eyes widened, but in seconds as I blinked I realized it was only the heat of the day making it look fuzzy.

  I let out a breath and put a hand to my head and looked to the truck and then back to the hills. I wanted to let go of what I thought I saw but my mind replayed the words from the Skyjump history about Earthen brethren.

  “And they made the earth tear asunder...”

  I shivered and quickly opened the back door and grabbed for my pillow with its dark blue moon-dotted pillow case. Shutting the door, I looked aside again and waited, watching.

  “It’s just your nerves Quil.” I said softly and shook my head.

  Yet, as I turned and went for the door my mind felt a lingering fear of the unknown outside these walls.

  Scampering down the hall and passing the four-way intersection I turned to the principal’s office but slowed as I found an older man standing in the door way and a hotel-like cart waited outside with my things already on it.

  Slowing to a stop with the key still rattling in my grip made the old man turn to the side. His bushy eyebrows nearly hiding his eyes but his grin was his most prominent feature.

  “Ah, hello, you little Miss Deshion?” he asked kindly with a wrinkled grin.

  I nodded and smiled as a voice called from within the principal’s office.

  “Equila.” My father called, I stepped past the older man and looked in as my father turned and looked to me.

  “Ya?” I asked throwing him back the keys which he caught easily.

  “I’m going to stay and finish talking with Jean, when you’re done looking at your room I will meet you at the front doors.” he said with a soft smile.

  I nodded, wishing he would come with me but knowing by his tone he needed to stay, Jean casually smiled my way and nodded to the older man in light blue attire with a silver mark on his shirt pocket of the school’s emblem, a hand holding a globe with sparks seeming to surround it.

  “This is Harold, Quil, he will take you to your room and explain some things as well as give you the key to your room.” Jean said motioning to the older man as I looked over to him.

  “Nice to meet you, Harold.” I said kindly.

  The old man grinned and nodded.

  “Have not heard a sweet nice to meet you in some time, I thank you young Miss.” He said and nodded for me to follow him.

  Turning, I looked back to my father as he nodded with a smile. For now it was ok to leave him because this was not our last goodbye which I realized as Harold grabbed the cart and started pulling it away from the door.

  Following after him with only a side glance back as the voices of my father and Jean faded as we came to the four way stop, Harold turned left continuing down the main hall.

  “So, excited to start the new year of school and wanted to be here early, eh?” Harold asked with a slight rustic catch to his voice.

  I looked to the floor as I held my arm conjuring up an excuse.

  “Ya, wanted to get here early and have a look around.” I said knowing what my father would have wanted me to say.

  Harold nodded, making his bushy eyebrows seem larger as he moved on.

  “Well, down this hall, one left. Hit a wall and a right later at a two-way stop is the girl’s wing of the building where you will be staying.” He said as we moved very fast for what I considered his age might be.

  I looked ahead and saw far off the wall he spoke of, “A right later at a two way stop,” I repeated in my head as we turned left and started down another hall. I felt my eyes widen at the scope of the building as more and more doors lined the walls.

&
nbsp; “How big is this place?” I asked, looking into one large room that had a full wall of windows and desks set back for what seemed like a mile.

  Harold chuckled softly with a rasp to his voice.

  “This school has neither basement nor second level so they had to spread it out instead of up or down.” he said with a nod, looking over to me as one of the cart’s wheels squeaked on the smooth floor.

  Ahead at the end of the hall I repeated, ‘turn left,’ within my mind as if to beg it to mentally make a map. Maybe I would make a map I considered.

  We turned down the hall and started for a crystal door that had an ambient glow about it, but could not be seen through with its misty quartz like haze.

  “This is the door into the girl’s wing, no boys can go in unless it’s a staff member cleaning or for an emergency.” Harold said as he swiped a small speck of crystal on a weaved bracelet on his wrist to the door and it swayed open.

  My eyes went wide as he laughed and started in.

  “Never seen a door like this one, eh?” he asked knowing I was too stunned to answer as I chased after him before it could close.

  Catching up to him he stopped in a large seating area with hallways leading off in every direction. A small marble fountain that cascaded down gave the room an airy feel as chairs and tables dotted the center of the room with the ceiling painted to look breathtakingly like the open-air sky.

  My lips opened in a smile as I gaped up and Harold caught my look as he checked what room I was staying in,

  “If ya like this you should see it at night, the ceiling lights up like the night sky with stars and all.” he said with a wink as he nodded to the left, “Now come on, you want to see your room, don’t ya?” he asked and started off down the first hall on our immediate left.

  I nodded slowly as I felt conflicted about it all. I thought it was amazing but what would it be like with a million people packed and moving inside this space?

  Rushing after Harold I caught up to his side, passing hundreds of doors and a few maids that looked after me with questioning glances. The doors looked very close together to hold rooms behind them.

  Finally, he slowed and stopped before a crystal door that like the first door was glowing faintly, but was even foggier than the first, with the number two-nine-two etched into it.

  “Here it is.” Harold said and turned to me, pulling a small envelope from his back pocket, “This has your room key that will let you access your room as well as the girl’s wing of the building and the atrium and much more.” he said, handing over the official- looking letter that was stamped with the hand holding the world with sparks, the school’s symbol in metallic silver.

  Fingering open the slightly bulged letter I opened it and turned it over to shake out the contents. A letter slipped out and a necklace with a small crystal fell on my palm. Just like Harolds, it was no bigger than half of my finger and as slender and smooth as could be hoped for.

  “There ya go, now you can open your door, try it out.” he said at my side.

  I nodded and turned putting the crystal to the pristine door. It swayed open with no handle on the outside or inside the door, with a smile I knew the room must be amazing with how the rest of the place had surprised me so far.

  Pushing open the door as it moved I looked into a room that slowly took my smile away. It was a dull, white, hall-looking room that went back like a shoe box but was barely big enough to not touch both walls if you held your arms out.

  I started into the room grudgingly, my eyes wandering as I felt disappointed by the lack of awe I felt from this white void. A desk took up the whole back wall and doubled as a dresser. A small crystal window that let no vision of the outside other than vague hues and shadows of sky and mountain range.

  Turning to the side I found my bed was a cot hidden behind the small bathroom that only slightly made the room feel bigger than the hall. The kindest thing in the whole room was a small banner that hung across the ceiling that read,

  “Welcome for the semester!” In a silver type on a blue sash.

  “So?” Harold asked as he put my bags onto my bed while I looked around.

  “It’s white.” I said turning round to take in this void.

  Looking to my things that before had seemed dull now looked extremely colorful against the rooms own dullness. I felt I must be somehow in the wrong place.

  Harold moved the last bag in and walked to the door.

  “Well, it gives you an open slate, but you can’t put more than a nail into the walls.” he said nodding, “Now I must be off. Do you think you can get back or would you like me to take you back to the office?” he asked kindly, leaning on his cart favoring his right leg as he had while we had walked.

  I looked around and knew if I stayed in the room I might start crying at the drab little closet of a space I was to live in. I fingered the case of my guitar as if trying to hold back my emotions.

  “If you don’t mind showing me back.” I said as I rushed out and shut the door behind me by holding to its edge for only a moment.

  Harold shook his head with a sly grin.

  “Your door first, then I’ll walk ya back.” he said grinning.

  I tilted my head and then it hit me as I turned to look back to find the door almost swaying open again. With a nervous laugh, I took a step back and held out my crystal to shut it. The moment I touched it to the door, it glowed softly and the 292 lit up slightly before clicking shut.

  “Ahh, so you’re a mage, makes sense.” Harold said as I looked up to him and back at the crystal as the numbers faded.

  “You mean it doesn’t do that for everyone?” I asked as I followed after him, passing another maid in a blue uniform dress and her white hair up in a bun.

  Harold glanced over at me and pointed to his crystal.

  “Mine doesn’t glow but has the numbers and information imbued within it of what magic it is allowed to use for certain doors, if you have mage skill, you can bring the information to light on your crystal.” he said, nodding.

  I was silent as we walked back through the calm fountain sitting area. I put the crystal on the cord necklace, and then over my head coming to lay on my neck, though I still fingered it as we crossed through the girl’s door and my crystal lit up softly and read, girls wing.

  Smiling, Harold glanced back with a chuckle.

  “For a girl prone to mage powers, seems strange you are so surprised.” He said, looking ahead, his words were kind, not questioning.

  My smile faded, I let go of the crystal and looked up turning the corner to the main hall. I had never been allowed to use magic for fear of the consequences; if anyone saw that I had those powers and learned I was a Skyjump.

  Looking to the hall ahead I realized I would have to watch and make sure no one noticed my necklace do that, I was here under a normal program. I would learn about magic but I was not to use it because as far as everyone would know, I was without any powers.

  “Alright, here is where I leave you.” Harold said kindly turning to me.

  I looked up out of my thoughts and put on a fake smile and nodded.

  “Thank you for your help, Harold.” I breathed.

  He grinned making his eyebrows knit together that brought a real smile to my lips.

  “If you ever need to move anything again, just let me know and I come to help, Miss Deshion.” he said with a curt nod as if we now were good friends.

  I smiled, as he sauntered off down the hall and left me to start to the main entrance. I saw my father and Jean talking by the doors that looked so incredibly far away.

  My feet were heavy as I felt a lingering worry about the little room that felt cramped. I need room to run and change into my beast form, if I turned in that little room I would be smashed between two walls as a Skyjump beast.

  “Ah, there she is.” My father said warmly and I felt a smile cross my lips as my mind’s worrying faded.

  I hurried up the length of the hall left between us as Jean and
my father stood by the large doors that let in real sunlight.

  “How was the room?” My father asked.

  Nodding very slowly I did not look into his eyes,

  “It’s… nice.” I said softly, taking a deep breath.

  I saw the way my father caught my words but Jean spoke up before she left us and before he could speak.

  “Well, it can be something to get used to, but I’m sure you’ll like it.” Jean said with a kind nod, “Now I’ll be in the office. When we’re done, Equila, come find me and I will help get your books so you can have a look through them and then go and get settled.” she said and started off down the hall.

  My heart held in my throat as her shoes echoed. I turned to my father and he saw the disappointed look on my face, how could he leave so soon.

  Stepping forward, he put a hand to my shoulder and smiled, though it only held one side of his lips.

  “Remember, this is just the day before.” He said, his eyes soft and for the first time, though I knew he would never cry in front of me.

  “But, dad, the room is tiny and as blank as my mind feels about how to get you to take me with you.” I said stubbornly, though my tone was soft.

  He smiled with a chuckle and gripped my shoulder lovingly.

  “That means you have your first real room to create what you want it to be Quil, an open canvas.” he said with a tilt of his head and a pleading look.

  I smiled softly but quickly pushed it away, I did not want to be happy, I was being left. I was almost an adult, couldn’t I just have kept tagging along?

  Placing his hand under my chin he smiled.

  “Try and have fun, ok?” He asked as he leaned down and took me into a hug.

  I nodded stiffly at his neck as we embraced.

  “I’ll try...” I managed.

  He stepped back and smiled, still holding my arm.

  “Good. I’ll write as often as I can, so make sure you check the office.” He glanced around and then lowered his voice before he spoke again, “If I don’t reply or send mail for a week it may mean I am traveling so don’t get worried. The last thing you need to do is worry.” he said with a soft laugh and nod of his head.