The Earth Shifter

If it wasn’t for the acting grown up stuff. I would’ve been jumping up and down in my seat, talking non-stop about how happy I am because this is the first time I get on a plane and I would also draw some funny stuff on the window with my breath.

But Instead I was sitting steadily quite in my seat trying to swallow my excitement. Well, at least I’ve got the window seat. I was slightly scared because all of it was little overwhelming.

After an hour I was so bored. It’s a fifteen hours flight. Screw all of it then. So I talked about everything in this life for the following five hours. All of them seemed happy with it and participated in the conversation even Nate. Aaron was right he did treat me nicely. In fact, he treated all of us nicely. All of us except Aaron. Although Aaron isn’t the type of guy who treats you like trash from the very first time he sees you. He doesn’t even have an arrogant attitude to be honest.

I was tired from talking so we sat silently for some time, But not in a boring way anymore. Although my excitement was totally indescribable, I let my nerves calm for a bit. Leaving some energy for the exploration.

I observed the view outside the plane. White Clouds and dark blue sea were the only things there. I blew a warm breath on the window. The air condensed making a blurry circle.

Ivan

I wrote the name slowly making just the right font for it. All the love was stored in only this simple name but it was also the biggest scar of my life. How did this happened? I still can’t get over it. The memories came back and all of them unbearably brutal and I couldn’t take it so I tried pushing them away while closing my eyes.

The air suddenly felt so thick as I wanted to cry. Even crying now would be considered understatement I wanted to scream and call Ivan out so he could come back again and make me feel safe and happy.

I kept staring at the name till it disappeared. It stayed only for a moment, mere seconds. Just letting the pure clouds know how much I miss him. I’m having all of my friends around me but I still feel like the loneliest person in the whole world. My whole body was still. No air in, no air out.

I felt a puff of air hit me making my breathing rapid and normal again. How could wind be moving in a closed plane? There was only one person who could do this.

I noticed Aaron looking at me. “Did you do this?” I asked whispering.

“Yes.” He whispered back looking beside him at Nate and making sure he’s still sleeping so he wouldn’t hear us.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because your writings were starting to show up not to mention your eyes and your hair.”

“Oh.” I didn’t even notice that I wasn’t breathing properly. I was just trying to suppress my tears and anger.

I guess that means that I shouldn’t be suffocating to happen, just a little lack of air can do it.

I looked around trying to make sure that nobody saw anything. I don’t want to be held for an investigation and experiments myself. The island is enough. “Don’t worry nobody noticed.” Aaron assured me.

No one was sitting next to me as Lilly went to sit behind me because she wanted to ‘sort something out’ with Erik. So I moved to the seat next to me closer to Aaron.

“Thanks.” I told him.

“Don’t worry about it.” He said smiling or maybe it was his puffy eyes making him look smiling all the time. I wouldn’t know.

“It’s weird he wanted to sit next to you.” I changed the subject referring to Nate.

“He didn’t, neither of us wanted but professor Cyril insisted on it. To ‘enhance the nexus of the team’. He. Literally. Hates. Me.” He said extremely annoyed.

“Just try not hitting him. There’s only ten hours left.” I said suppressing a laugh while sticking my tongue out at him. He shook his head.

“I won’t hit him. I’m having a perfect control over myself.”

“Good boy.” I said ruffling his hair like a cute puppy. He pushed it away annoyed fixing his hair.

“But if he push it any further, I swear I’ll chop his head off and throw it to the dogs.” I stared at him terrified.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would. He’s been provoking me the whole day.”

“But he’s sleeping. He can’t bother you now,” I looked at the bright side.

At this exact moment Nate stretched hitting Aaron’s face with his elbow through the process. But he didn’t mean too. He’s sleeping. Or... I guess not. I think I just saw him blink.

“What did you say, Amber?” He said in a menacing tone and gritted his teeth taking Nate’s hand off and throwing it behind him angrily. So I decided not to push him any further.

I smiled apologetically at him. “He,” I cleared my throat. “He didn’t mean it?” I’m so tired of making this Nate excuses.

Why does he do that?

After another ten hours of playing games, chatting, singing and watching movies, we arrived at the island. But here’s the odd thing. The pilot which was professor Cyril, (This man is so cool. I had no idea that he can fly his own plane), couldn’t see the island and decided to turn around and go back. But we insisted on making him fly across the exact coordinates Lilly has calculated.

And when he did that, we saw the island and landed on the water. I kept asking myself: Is it magic or technology that’s hiding this island?

The seaplane arrived at the shore and we got out. I stood at the entrance and looked at the end of the stairs. There was still a good ten meters to the shore. I backed up from the entrance and waved at Lilly and Erik to come out first.

I stared at the water. It wasn’t that deep but maybe could cover more than the half of my body. I’m sure I can’t drown in it but I just can’t get into the sea water.

“Aren’t you going out?” Nate said from behind me. He was waiting for me to get out.

“Yes?” I answered him.

I closed my eyes and descended the three stairs then stopped. I looked behind me. Nate was growing impatient with me.

“Can’t we move the plane closer to the shore? I just don’t wanna get my clothes wet.”

“No, we can’t. It’s shallow in here. Come on.” He smiled trying to cover his annoyance.

“Okay.” I whispered.

I can do it. It’s only ten meters.

I tied my hair into a loose bun so it wouldn’t get wet preparing myslef, then let my right leg sink into the cool water till it touched the sandy floor of the sea. Then the second one. I wouldn’t dare to open my eyes. I can’t believe I’m walking in the water right now. That’s horrible and it covered most of my body and stopped right under my chin. I felt like my heart was getting ripped out of it’s place from the fear.

I moved my legs as fast as I can. I won’t drown. I won’t drown. I kept chanting till I arrived at the safe ground. I opened my eyes and placed my hand on my crazily pounding heart. I looked back at the water. Not the best idea. I felt like throwing up and fainting at the same time.

I let my body calm for a second before looking around me. I found Aaron standing right in front of me with a look of concern on his face. He was the first to come out of the plane.

“Are you feeling alright?” He asked.

“Yes, I’m completely fin...” I didn’t get to finish my sentence as I threw up on the ground. Then I washed my face with some water and drank some.

“Are youokay now?” He asked.

“Yeah.” I answered him with a faint smile.

How much do I hate embarrassing myself like that!

He nodded and looked around at the island. I did the same.

It was a normal typical island with green hills, grass and palm trees. Nothing weird. Then why is it hidden? And who hid it?

I started walking on the hot sand being careful where I’m stepping but I suddenly noticed that the sand was black, like very black. I took some of it in my hand there was tiny glowing pieces and the dark sand.

I dusted the sand out of my hand and continued walking. All the place was covered in black sand and huge and medium sized black shiny rocks.

I went to stand with the rest of them, they were arguing about which way they should go.

Professor Hendrix wanted to go through the trees and explore the life there and professor Allesandra wanted to go the way that didn’t have a thick forest as she wanted to find people and people should be living at the end of a road not in a forest.

“Alessandra,” He threatened saying her name slowly and she suddenly stopped ranting after hearing her husband’s voice changing.

“I said we’re going that way and that’s final.” He stated and she gave up on her opinion so easily nodding at him. He smiled satisfied with her and walked in the way he’d picked. All following him not seeming to mind either ways but I was convinced that professor Alessandra was right. If we needed to find people we should walk in human roads but I wasn’t going to argue with him because I wanted to explore both places.

Since the moment our feet touched the island Erik was holding his camera, and Nate was phrasing notes in front of it the whole time they were documenting everything about this place together.

I speeded my pace so I could be walking next to professor Allesandra. I tried opening a conversation with her.

“Yeah your opinion is right. We should have gone the other way, but you know he’s my husband and I should obey him for all he says.” She sounded so helpless.

“Uhm, You always do what the professor says, even if he was wrong? because you know he’s human and he could be wrong sometimes. And I don’t mean to interfere in your personal life but I just feel it’ll be affecting our work too.” That wasn’t true. I just wanted to help her with her life a little and the only reason I didn’t defend my opinion about the roads is only because I don’t want her to look small or weak in front of the guys.

“Well I think his opinion is right most of the time.” She shrugged looking at the ground.

“Look, I’m not pretending that I know better than you or anything like that. But I just think that marriage isn’t only about obedience. It’s also about having a voice and knowing the right moment for having an opinion and actually share it because, from what I saw with my parents, marriage is only about sharing.” My mind was going in one way. I must help this poor lady with her autocratic husband.

She smiled and told me that she appreciated my help and then walked away. Clearly I still didn’t get what the adults’ lives revolve around. And all of that talk has been in vain.

I suddenly heard someone screaming...