There once was a boy who had the power to fly

A begining of a story

There once was a boy who had the power to fly.

Each day he took to the sky to see what wonders he might find.

One day he stretched his wings and floated on air with the eagles.

Another day he raced through the sky with no clear path making jagged turns like lightning.

One particular morning he decided that maybe instead of coming home, as he did each day, he would fly in one direction to see what he could find beyond the horizon.

 Although he flew every day he always went home at night. His home was warm, safe, and comfortable.

So on this particular morning he took an old cloth and packed a few small morsels of food, a few comfortable shirts and took a long look around and headed into the sky not knowing when he might see his home again.

First he stretched his wings and floated on the air with the eagles until he reached the edge of where the eagles had been as one by one the eagles turned toward home until he was alone.

Then he raced across the sky like lightning not knowing where he was going and forgetting where he had come from. When he finally noticed it was getting dark he realized he was quite dark so he looked to see if there was a place he could sleep.

Almost all the other creatures of the sky were already sleeping except the lightning bugs the bats and the owls. He landed on earth and though about what he should do he was very tired and although he did not know where he was going he knew that he wanted to start for wherever he would end up early.

He thought about trying to sleep in a tree like his friends the sparrow and the robin but he didn’t really know how to sleep in a tree. He thought about sleeping in a field like his friends the grouse and the gull but he didn’t have a nest so that wouldn’t do. The he decided to just lay down where he landed next to an old tree by a creek and sleep. He was very tired.

The next morning as he slept a noise awoke him. It was something he had never really beheld. It was a girl with dark hair and dark eyes. Looking into her eyes he was vexed. He wondered how after all his days of flying he had never seen such a beautiful creature. She was more beautiful than the grouse in his white winter coat of down. She was more beautiful than the eagle who was majestic and proud. Right then his heart told him she was more beautiful than the sunset that painted the sky red and more beautiful that the stars that twinkled in the night.

While he stared at her she giggled. The noise of it was something he had never heard. When she giggled he felt his heart giggle too. Suddenly the same noise came from within him and for the first time he laughed. He understood the peal of the eagle. He understood the song of the robin. He even understood the low hooo of the owl. But he did not understand this new thing that came from within him.

He watched her as she drew water and went away. He did not know what to do but he did know that that sound that came from within him when he heard her giggle was something he wanted to know again. So instead of flying off he sat by the creek and waited.

The next day the girl did not return to the stream and he grew worried. He thought that maybe he had just dreamed it all but when he tried to make that noise again, and found he couldn’t; he knew that the girl was real. He had seen many things when he flew but he had never seen anything like her.  

That night when he grew restless he took to the air with the bats. Then he swooped like an owl. Then he buzzed like a fire fly but none of it brought him happiness because all he could think about was the girl with dark hair and dark eyes. He wanted to giggle again. So again he lay next to the creek but did not sleep.

Finally he awoke to a sound. It was the sound of the girl. She had returned when he dozed off in the early morning. She was once again filling her bota with water… and she was giggling. He tried to giggle too but found he could not force him too. She smiled at him and shrugged turning to leave. Panicked that she was leaving he blurted out, “Want to fly with me like the eagle?”

“I don’t know how she said.”

“Well then we will race across the sky like lightning!” he exclaimed.

“I don’t know how to do that either,” she answered softly.

He did not know what to say or do. He realized then there was so much he did not know. He knew how to fly but not much else. He did not know why she gathered water and by himself he did not know how to giggle.

“Why do you gather water?” he asked.

“It is the water of life,” she said.

“How do you giggle?” he asked.

“I don’t know just find something that makes you happy I guess,” she said, then giggled again.

“Do I make you happy?” he asked.

“I guess you do. I just never saw a boy who sleeps by the river of life before.”

“Can you teach me to giggle?” he asked.

“I can try she said,” then she turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I must share the water of life,” she said. She smiled at him and turned and left. He had no idea what to do. So he stood and stared at where she went. He stared all day. He stared all night. He stared each day for several days waiting for her to come back but she never did. Finally tired he laid down and slept. He slept so long that even his dreams left him. When he finally awoke he nearly forgot why he had stayed but deep within his chest he remembered her giggle. It was then that he realized he had even forgot how to fly.

 

Reviews

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Hi Fly Boy.

Crap! They want 25 characters. Hi Fly boy

[Eve]

Oh Rusty this is such a wonderful story, but I wish it had a happy ending, so few stories end in happiness these days.

[...]

. oh, what an intense story ... i'm too astonished to know if the memory of the "giggle" was worth forgetting how to fly ... i'll think about it ... but irrespective of what i might arrive at, i think the narration is excellent ... the pace was just perfect ... i loved "the river of life" and the concept of taking "water" from it ... you give me much to think about, monsieur ...

[Samuel Dickens]

INVS below used the word "aboriginal" and I think that is a good description, although "primordial" might apply as well. I could guess it to be the beginning of man's love for woman, and his inability to carry on, once he'd met her. Sounds like real life to me.

[Stacey Watts]

This was very magical. I do hope you will write more. I would love to read it. I like the command you have in this story. I did not see anywhere that it was disjointed in anyway. I like the way it flows. I also think it would be a good story for an older child or young teenager. Nicely done.

[bob, small b. aka invs]

this is a wonderful story. it's obviously allegorical, but i'm not sure of its meaning. it's a story that should be discussed with others in order to bring clarity. it has the feeling of an aboriginal fable. well done.

[Rusty]

Thank you for taking the time to read. This is only a beginning and I appreciate your input. Respectfully, Rusty.

[olla]

there is a typo in the last paragraph.. "He slept do long" I believe the "do" should be "so" otherwise.. a good story..

[Rusty]

Correct. Thank you for taking the time to not only read but to also offer your criticism and review. Respectfully, Rusty.