“I know, I just…” he answered, fidgeting with his hands. He shook his head lightly, rubbed his forehead, and looked at his family staring back at him.
“Son, this is the reason we left. You can see how imperative it is that we go now.” His father spoke calmly, clearly, and very straight forward.
Israel quickly looked up as Aira walked out. Israel smiled, stood up and pulled out her chair for her.
Aira noticed that Cleo was gone, but the tension still somehow lingered.
They didn’t end the barbecue, they actually acted like nothing had happened. For the rest of the evening they laughed, ate, asked Aira more questions about herself, and told stories of Israel when he was little. Samuel always had the best stories. Israel’s father was the only one who seemed to stay quite serious, which made Israel uncomfortable.
Aira noticed that all of their eyes, even though they were different colors, looked the same. Surprisingly, it was really comforting to her. They were just different. The way they did things was beyond graceful. She watched every movement, unable to pull her eyes away.
Israel tried sitting through it, but he couldn’t. He was too upset. He finally moved his chair back and stood up taking Aira’s hand.
Aira looked at him almost confused, and slowly stood up.
“I should probably take you home.”
“Okay…” Aira replied quietly to him.
“I’m gonna take Aira home now, it’s getting late.”
“Thank you for such an amazing time, it was really nice meeting all of you. Abby, your food was amazing.”
“Thank you, Aira.” Abby got up, walked over and gave her a hug, then spoke quietly just to her. “I told you we’d come back.” She moved away, smiled and moved the hair out of Aira’s face.
Aira, in that moment had a quick flash of when she was a little girl. She started to remember the little boy that was helping her dig to China, and his mother, and how their eyes were like the stars. Aira looked over at Israel standing by the sliding door. She couldn’t believe it. Words couldn’t describe what she felt. She could almost feel the closeness she had with her grandparents. It was the same feeling. The warmth, she felt safe, like herself. Something she hadn’t felt in many years. Love came into her like a tidal wave.
Everyone said their goodbyes. Nehemiah gave Israel a quick nod, then Israel walked her out to his car.
“He’s not going anywhere.” Samuel spoke in seriousness to his brother.
Nehemiah rubbed his forehead, then put his hand over his chin and looked at Samuel.
“You’re gonna have to call him,” Samuel spoke again. Nehemiah gently shook his head.
“Nehemiah, you know he already knows,” Abby spoke up. “He’s the only one Israel will listen to.
As Aira and Israel walked around the house and out to the front, the stars seemed brighter to her than any other night.
“Your family is really beautiful.” Aira felt like she had just walked out of a dream.
Israel stopped walking and gently took her left hand. He felt it for a moment, deep in thought. His eyes moved from looking at her hand to her eyes, then he placed her hand on his shoulder. He then took her other hand, held onto it and put his left hand on her waist. He was trying to figure out if his placings were right.
She didn’t really know what he was doing.
He let out a small laugh. When he finally figured it out, he had a nervous look on his face.
“Um…” he smirked. Aira smiled and shook her head.
“I think the stars want us to dance, if you wouldn’t mind.”
Aira looked up for a second, then looked back at Israel. His eyes became deep, and he started to dance with her.
Above them, stars, one after another, started to trace across the sky.
Israel closed his eyes. He was feeling and taking everything in. He looked fine on the outside, but inside, he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving. It pained him, he felt torn. Slowly, Israel pulled away and looked at her, “You have all of me.”
Aira felt completely taken by him.
Israel put his head down. She couldn’t find any words. He took her hand and walked to his car. He opened the car door for her and she got in. When he closed the door, he looked up for a brief moment, then got into the car and pulled out of his driveway.
Driving back Aira could tell he wanted to say something, but he didn’t, so she didn’t. She rolled down the window to feel the air and Israel looked over at her.
“What does that feel like?” he asked. Aira looked at him as she moved her hand around outside the window.
“What… the air?” she asked with a confused smile. He shook his head because he thought that must have sounded ridiculous to her. Aira was puzzled — he was so confusing sometimes.
They finally pulled up to her house and got out of the car. They stood still, not wanting to say goodnight.
Barry turned on the porch light from inside, and Israel began to laugh. Aira smiled and shook her head.
“Ya… I should go in.” She hugged Israel.
“I’ll be here,” he said.
Aira ran up to her porch, watched him get into his car and drive away, then she went inside.
Israel drove for a bit. A car behind him drove really close, flashing its high beams.
Then three cars, one after another, pulled around his car from behind and in front of him to get him to stop.
Israel pulled over, put his car in park and he watched the car doors open. He opened his door, got out, and stood there.
There was at least seven people, one being Jaidas. Some Israel recognized from school, and some he didn’t. Harlem, Jessie and Logan were there.
“Seraphim,” Jaidas spoke as he shook his head, “you think you and your family would have learnt by now.” He paused for a second, smiled, and then his eyes began to change into what looked reptilian. He blinked and they went back to normal. “You and Aira will never happen. I will break everything that’s made you,” Jaidas smirked. “I’m smart… you know how smart we are.” Jaidas walked back over to his own car.
Israel carefully watched him, but didn’t say a word.
“I’m as wise as a serpent,” Jaidas sat down inside his car, and calmly said, “and as gentle as a dove.” He winked at Israel and closed his door. The rest got into their cars, and they drove away.
Israel looked up at the sky for a moment, got back into his car, and sat with a blank look on his face. Eventually he drove home.
He walked in his front door and then to his room. He grabbed a lighter and a throw blanket and walked outside to his place behind his house. He lit some candles, then a fire, and took his kettle and placed it over the fire to boil. He wrapped his blanket around himself, grabbed a book, a pen, and some paper, sat down, and started to write. He wrote, and wrote, and wrote until the sun was about to rise. When the sun had fully risen, Israel was asleep on the ground by the fire, which still smoked a bit.
An hour later his father walked out to find him.
His father knelt down beside him and he placed his hand on his son’s back. “Israel?” Vision after vision of what had happened went into his father. Nehemiah stood up and walked back to the house.
“How is he?” Abby asked, starting to make breakfast.
“Let him sleep,” Nehemiah answered, “I have some calls to make.” He walked into his room, and closed the door.
Abby looked out the window into the back yard, then let out a very small smile and continued to make breakfast.
Aira was talking with Avery on speaker phone, getting ready for school.
“So how was meeting the Fam?” Avery asked, curious and giddy.
“They… were amazing. It was amazing.”
“What about Barry and your mom? Did they get to meet him?”
“Ya, they were fine, you know Mo
m was being Mom and Barry being… Barry,” Aira let out a small laugh, gently shaking her head.
“Aira, you are soooooo in love,” Avery said, playfully bugging her.
“Yes,” Aira answered almost immediately.
Avery went silent. She hadn’t expected Aira to say that.
“Really? I mean… you’re actually in love? Like you actually love someone, in that kind of way that people love each other?”
Aira shook her head and smiled.
Avery continued to talk as Aira walked over to her window. Israel wasn’t there yet.
“Hey, Avery, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you at school, okay?”
Aira hung up the phone, grabbed her bag and went downstairs.
Barry and Maddy were sitting in the kitchen.
“Hi honey, how was your sleep?”
“It was really good. Hey Mom, can you give me a ride to school?” Barry had taken Aira’s truck in to get new tires and a tune up.
“Where’s Israel?” her mother asked.
“He probably just had something to do. I’m not sure. It’s fine.”
Barry looked at Maddy, Maddy gave him a look as if saying ‘oh stop it’, grabbed her keys, and drove her to school.
As they pulled into the school parking lot, Aira didn’t see Israel’s car. She had seen Avery and Joshua waving, and Kaitlyn trying to talk to Jaidas, but you could tell he wasn’t interested. He kept moving Jessie in between them, trying to see what Aira was doing.
“Is that Jaidas?” Maddy asked.
“Ya,” Aira replied.
“Jerk,” Maddy said with disgust. “Did Avery get a new boyfriend?”
“Ya, she’s loved him like since elementary.”
“Good for her.” Maddy smiled, waved at Avery, and pulled up beside them. Aira got out.
“I’ll see you later, okay?” Aira opened the car door and got out.
“I love you,” Maddy smiled.
“Love you too.” Aira closed the door. Maddy waved goodbye to Avery and Joshua and drove away.
“Hey,” Aira said softly. She looked around waiting to see if Israel had pulled in.
“Where’s Israel?” Joshua asked.
“I’m not sure,” Aira said a little confused.
The bell rang so they walked up to the school doors. Aira kept looking back until they got inside.
The day seemed to drag on. Aira watched the clock, stared out the window and looked at the door repeatedly.
At lunch Aira sat with Joshua and Avery. She couldn’t understand where he could be.
Jaidas kept looking at her from another table. Kaitlyn kept begging him to talk to her, he was getting irritated and basically got fed up. He got up out of his seat and went and sat down at Aira’s table.
“Jaidas, what the hell are you doing?” Avery asked, ready to rip his head off.
Jaidas just shook his head. He rubbed his chin and leaned his head down onto his arm on the table and looked at Aira.
“I can’t be without you, I tried. I don’t know, I just... I’m eighteen. Avery, stop looking at me like that.”
“I didn’t even say anything,” Avery spoke up defensively “But now I will. Maybe you should have figured this out a long time ago.”
Aira couldn’t stand the bickering. She got up and walked out. Jaidas didn’t say anything. He looked at Avery whose eyebrow was raised at him. He sat for a second then stood up and left.
A couple of hours went by. Israel walked into his house through the kitchen door with his blanket wrapped around him, a book and some papers in his arms, and a few twigs stuck in his hair from sleeping on the ground.
“Hey, Mom,” Israel said half asleep as he sat down at the table.
“Well, you look like you had a good sleep,” Abby spoke, sweetly kidding.
“Ya, I … Mom, what time is it?” Israel asked seemingly concerned.
“It’s just after two I think,” Abby answered.
“Mom, I gotta go, I’ll be back later.” Israel jumped up, grabbed some papers from his book, his keys, ran out the door, and drove to Aira’s house. Israel knew she would still be at school, and he made it there about twenty minutes before she would get home.
He pulled up, shut his car off, sat there for a few minutes and then got out.
He walked up to Aira’s door and lightly knocked.
Barry answered the door and stood there.
“Ah, I know Aira isn’t home yet. I didn’t sleep so...” Israel couldn’t seem to get words out as Barry stared at him. Israel felt like a guilty little boy. “Is David around by any chance?”
“Ya. I just picked him up.” Barry seemed somewhat bewildered, but he slowly opened the door to let Israel in. “He’s down in his room playing video games.” Barry smiled and watched Israel make his way down the hall. He knew that David was very close to Aira, and with Aira seeing Jaidas for the past few years, it was hard on David. Jaidas always looked at David like he was a problem or pretended he wasn’t even around.
Israel stopped where he could hear video games blaring through the door, knocked and waited. He looked back down the hall, Barry was still staring at him. Israel looked back at the door. Barry was making him nervous, so he just opened the door and walked in.
“David?”
David could hear Israel, but continued to play his game.
Israel didn’t really know how to approach him.
“Ah… it’s me, Israel.” Israel looked around David’s room. He noticed all the superhero pictures all over the walls. There were magazines, books of different super heros, and drawings David must have done all over the desk.
“So who’s your favorite superhero?” Israel continued.
“I don’t know,” David replied, not even turning around.
“Do you like to read?”
“I guess,” David replied again as he shrugged his shoulders, still ignoring Israel.
“I brought you something, if you ever feel like reading a great story… I would say it’s pretty heroic. It’s always been one of my favorites.”
David listened.
“I’ll leave it here.” Israel put it on David’s nightstand. He looked over at David, smiled, and watched him play for a minute. “Alright… I’ll see you later, okay?”
David didn’t say anything.
Israel walked out of David’s room and closed the door. He walked to the front door, while Barry watched T.V.
Israel continued to walk out as Barry spoke up. “Don’t make yourself bigger to them than you’re willing to be.” Israel stopped, then walked out the door. The moment David heard the front door close, he paused his game and ran over to the loose papers Israel had left. He picked them up, and read “David and Goliath.”
David sat down on his bed, and began to read it. It was a famous story written in the Bible about a young boy named David who took on a giant named Goliath. He had used a slingshot and a single stone, and defeated him.
Israel was still sitting in his car when Joshua pulled up with Avery and Aira. Aira smiled with relief to see him.
She quickly took off her seat belt and they all got out of the car. Israel had gotten out of his car as they pulled in, and he stood there smiling. He walked up and hugged her.
“Dude, where were you? I had to do the presentation myself.” Joshua asked, bugging him, but a little annoyed.
“I didn’t sleep much last night… I guess I slept in. I’m sorry, I didn’t forget.” He sounded so apologetic, directing it towards both Joahua and Aira but looking at Aira. He put his hands on each side of her jaw gave her a few quick kisses, and in that moment Israel could feel his father calling him home. Israel pulled away a bit.
“There’s something I have to do. I’ll see you guys later, okay?”
“Okay,” Aira replied a little worried. She was always rea
dy to have her heart broken.
“Don’t worry,” Israel spoke. He could feel her concern. “I’m not going anywhere,” he smiled and then walked to his car. He gave Avery and Joshua a light farewell wave, got into his car, and drove away.
“Is he okay?” Avery asked. She thought he was acting a little strange.
Aira didn’t really know what to say. “I think so.”
“He’s fine, why do girls always read something bad into every little thing?”
“It’s our job,” Avery said. Joahua laughed, shaking his head.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Avery asked.
“I’ve got homework.”
“Okay,” Avery answered back while they both slipped into Joshua’s car. Avery blew two quick kisses to Aira and closed the door.
Aira walked up to their front door and watched as they drove away. She walked inside, put her bag down and sat on the couch across from Barry. There was silence for a moment, and then Barry spoke.
“I might like this one, but it’s not probable.”
Aira smiled and shook her head at Barry.
“Where’s Mom?”
“She went into Chilliwack to do some shopping, I took the day off. She needs to get out.”
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“No, I have to wait. Your mom put us on some kind of diet… it sucks.”
Aira laughed and stood up.
“Okay… I’m gonna go study.” She walked up to her room and Barry continued to watch his show.
As Israel drove home, he had a quick vision of Aira being wrapped in a vine of thorns, bleeding and weak. He was trying to get them off of her while looking up through the trees to the sky, but he couldn’t. He had seen these same visions constantly, which was why he had come back.
Israel drove a bit faster to get home. When he pulled into his yard, he parked his car only half way down the driveway, got out of his car and started to walk towards his house. He could hear the sound of crows cawing. They were loud, almost as if they were trying to call attention to themselves. When he looked up he saw two crows in the trees to his right, and one to his left. Israel watched them for a second and started to walk again. The crows then flew off the trees towards him and began attacking him. Israel waved his hands around aggressively to get them off of him. By the fourth time they flew down at him, one of the crows managed to pull hair from Israel’s head. Israel put his hand on his head and watched them as they were flying away –
Forbidden: Book One of Wild Sky Saga Page 8