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“From the first glance I knew it was you. We said hello as if we were two eagles, soaring on the same thermal, circling almost wingtip to wingtip, watching each other yet not touching. The thermal ended and we both flew off in our own directions. Yet, I continue to see your face, your eyes, and your smile. I catch a whiff of your perfume among a crowd of people and my heart stops as I look for you, but you’re not there. I’ll continue to search, to seek your smile, your smell, and your eyes. Until we meet again...” (Anonymous letter found in a sealed glass bottle on Mt. Rainier.)
Leif madly typed away on his computer. He was in the ‘zone’ - that place where programmers go when they have thirty different numbers and symbols stored in their head while writing code fast enough to get the logic working without forgetting what they wrote fifty lines of code earlier. It was almost a zen state. Tens of hours could fly by without straying from the monitors while in this mode. With headphones on to drown out any disruptive noise from the huge cubicle farm in the Amzoft, Incorporated offices, Leif was on a three hour stretch that started at five a.m. He leaned back in his chair, ran his hands through his hair, and complemented himself on completing a significant piece of physics code for plotting the course of slowly drifting debris caught in the rings of a planet in space. He leaned forward and scrolled through his code, stopped, and satisfied with it, he pressed a key on the keyboard and waited while his computer ‘compiled’ his code into a completed routine and automatically merge it into a master program containing over a million lines of code. He realized it was going to take a while to compile as he watched the slowly advancing progress bar on one of his monitors.
While thinking about the movement of objects through the vacuum of space in a video game he started to think of his dreams of Carina, standing in the evergreen tree with the mighty bald eagle. A small pang of longing jumped through his gut. He wanted to fly so bad it hurt. The constant hovering was starting to bring on anxiety attacks as he awoke each morning. He felt it would be better if he just tried to forget it all - quit wanting to fly, quit thinking about Carina, quit trying to be something he wasn’t. Maybe he was a freak of the Avitorian race - unable to really fly. Maybe he was more human than Avitorian. He was growing tired of the disappointment.
The progress bar on the monitor showed ten percent completion. Leif placed his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands. He thought of the beautiful sunrise he saw on his way in to work. The snow on the top of the peaks of the Olympics glowed a bright orange as the sun had crested over the top of the Cascades. The sunlight bounced off the bottom of scattered clouds in a shower of pinks and orange along the bottom of the clouds. If only he could touch those clouds. He could almost feel the moisture of the clouds in his hands as he dwelled on the image. He pictured himself reaching into those clouds, feeling the moisture, and letting himself disappear into the dense fog. His heart skipped as he felt his butt rise up off the seat of his chair and the top of his legs pressed against the bottom of his desk.
Leif grabbed his headphones and stripped them off his head while exclaiming, “Whoa!” He fell back down into the seat of his chair. A fellow worker in the next cubical popped her head up over the cube wall and asked, “What’s up, Leif?”
“Ah, nothing, Marie.” He quickly gathered his senses. “Just surprised my code is compiling without any errors,” he responded.
“Alright,” she replied as she disappeared back into her cubicle.
“Wow,” Leif quietly mouthed to himself. Did I just do that? He closed his eyes and focused back on the clouds and his floating up to touch them. Again he rose from the chair and up against the top of his desk. He laughed out loud and quickly silenced himself as he fell back down into the chair. He looked behind him, through his cubicle opening, to make sure no one was watching or passing by. This time he decided to just think of hovering above his chair slightly. His heart accelerated as he slowly lifted off the seat of his chair. He couldn’t help but smile the biggest smile possible as he hovered between his chair and his desk. Knowing the extension of his hands and legs could affect the force, he slowly extended his fingers of one hand toward his monitors and thought about moving backwards. The extended force caused him to lean back in his chair while still hovering slightly above the seat. He couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“What’s so funny, Leif?” Jewels asked, standing at the entrance of his cubical.
Leif was startled by the question and landed hard in his chair, throwing his balance backward. He managed to catch his feet below him as he stood up and the chair crashed to the floor. He turned to see Jewels standing there looking puzzled. “Um, nothing really,” he stammered and looked back at his monitors, the progress bar was at twenty-two percent. “I’m just glad my code is compiling without any errors.”
“Well,” Jewels exclaimed. “You’ve been in the code a little too long, I think.” She gave a sly smile and a short laugh.
“Yeah, I think you’re right.” Leif replied while picking his chair up off the floor and sliding it under his desk. “I’ve been at it for a while and I think I need some coffee.”
“I thought you’d never ask. How about McNallies, across the street?”
“Why not downstairs?” Leif asked while glancing at his monitors, trying not to show his embarrassment at being startled.
“Too many visits from,” she looked around. “The mangers who don’t really have much to do, so they pop into the cafeteria for coffee and to spy on who’s wasting time.”
Leif laughed nervously at her comment, thought about it for a moment, then responded, “Okay. Sounds good to me.”
***
Jewels brought two coffees to the table as Leif stared out the window at the Amzoft building across the street. He found it interesting when people constantly streamed in and out of the rotating doors. But, with over nine hundred people in the same building, it was bound to be busy. He felt grateful such a prestigious software company was interested in having him as an employee. It had been over a year since being employed and he felt he was in it for the long run. Jewels noticed his distant gaze at the building.
“What cha thinking Leif?”
“Ah.” he blinked a couple times to clear the fog of deep thought and gave a small chuckle. “Just thinking about how glad I am to be working for Amzoft. Amazed I’ve lasted this long.”
“Really?” she replied in disbelief. “You’re like the master math whiz of the whole building. I hear the managers talk about you all the time - how you saved their butts by completing your code way ahead of schedule and adding code that makes the game run smoother.” She pulled her dark hair back out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re up for a promotion when you get your review.”
Leif could feel his face flush with embarrassment as he looked down at his coffee. “Well, it’s really not that big of a deal. It just comes easy to me, I guess.” He turned his cup a couple turns before picking it up for a sip.
“Wow,” Jewels replied. “Smart, cute, and humble.” She stated more to herself than to Leif.
He wasn’t quite sure if he heard her correctly and decided to let it pass while he took another sip. He felt a bit awkward at the lack of his response.
“You’re certainly a mystery, Leif.” She took a sip while watching him intently.
Leif chuckled. “A mystery? How so?”
“I did a web search for your name. It came up blank. You’re not on any of the social media sites. All I could find was a profile on BizLinks saying that you worked here since last year. No selfie pictures, no postings, nada, zilch!”
He wasn’t sure if he should be intrigued by her efforts or afraid. “So, you’re trying to stalk me?” he replied with a smile.
“No,” Jewels laughed. “Well,” she paused, “maybe just a little.” She looked down at the cups sitting on the table and rolled her eyes up to make direct eye contact with Leif. “You’re very different from anyone else I’ve met before. I’m curious, and I guess,” she paused again. “I guess I’m just trying to know you a little better.”
Leif was flooded with a thousand different thoughts all at once. He felt honored that someone as pretty as Jewels would be interested in him. Though, at the same time, he felt conflicted. Would he ever find Carina again? Maybe he could be attracted to Jewels. He just wasn’t sure. He just didn’t know what to say.
“Leif, did I scare you?” She gave a nervous smile - hoping she wasn’t too forward in her approach.
“Ah, no.” He smiled back. “I’m just not sure what to say. I’m flattered.” He paused and looked out the window at the building across the street. He was trying to find the right words to not dissuade her, but also not lead her on. As he was gazing, he noticed a man leaning with his back to the Amzoft building, next to the rotating doors, staring directly back at him and Jewels. He thought it was odd someone from across the street would be watching them. He didn’t recognize the man. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt. He had jet black hair with pointed bangs and his eyes were hidden by dark retro sunglasses. The man pulled out a cell phone without breaking his stare then turned and walked away. Leif looked back at Jewels, realizing she was waiting to hear more. “Sorry, I was distracted. Um, I’m flattered, and speechless.”
“Speechless is good,” Jewels replied with a smile and a nod.
Leif looked back out the window. The man was gone.
“You see someone?” Jewels asked while glancing out the window as well.
“Nah. I thought I saw someone, but he’s gone.” He looked back at the same time as Jewels. “Well, maybe we should get back.”
“Big hurry to see if your code compiled?”
Leif laughed. “Yeah, I guess so.” He paused, gulped down the rest of his coffee. He gathered up enough guts to make the next move. “Coffee again Monday? Maybe I’ll let you ask me some questions and take care of that curiosity.”
Jewels smiled glowingly. “You’re on. Monday it is.”
***
“Come on!” Leif barked at the slow traffic. The rest of the day at work had been a major struggle. His discovery he could hover at will, Jewels expressing her interest in him, and then being watched by the stranger outside the coffee house - it was all overwhelming. He spent the rest of the day staring at the same section of computer code on his monitor with no progress at all. He felt relieved to leave the office. He called his parents to ask if he could stop by for the evening.
He felt more relieved when he finally got off the main roads crazy with traffic and onto the rural road that ran toward his parent’s house. It was a joy to be able to throttle up his Audi S5 as he wound through the last few miles. The thick evergreens flew by as he pondered how he would break the news to his parents. Maybe a demonstration would be the way to go, he thought. He was grinning as he pulled into the driveway. His parents were already outside the house, taking advantage of the summer evening daylight to squeeze in some yard work. They stopped what they were doing and walked over to the car as Leif stepped out.
“I could hear you coming a mile away,” Ben joked as he pulled off his gloves and gave Leif a hug.
Francie wasn’t quite as jovial. She hated having to wait for news - always anticipating it would be unpleasant. She gave Leif a hug with a “Hello dear.”
“So, what’s the exciting news?” Ben asked.
Leif took a quick look back toward the street to make sure no one was walking by. The rest of the property was secluded from prying eyes with thick evergreens, ferns, and mulberry bushes. They allowed the prickly bushes to grow on the edges of the property line without encroaching into the yard. Thorns were a good deterrent to trespassing. When Leif was satisfied no one else was watching he added, “I need to show you something.” He closed his eyes and straightened his arms down along his sides. Slowly he lifted a couple inches off the ground. He opened his eyes and hovered for another couple seconds till one of his legs slipped out to one side. He felt like he was on invisible ice as he flopped around and flailed his arms, trying to regain his balance.
Francie muffled a squeal, startled to see Leif hover above the ground and flailing about. Ben reached out and grabbed one of Leif’s arms to help him regain his balance.
“Whoa, boy. That’s a crazy dance you have going on there.” Ben stated while gazing around, making sure there were no onlookers. He kept ahold of Leif’s arm. “Okay. Straighten your arms down by your sides. Not too stiff, but relaxed.”
“Umph, okay.” Leif replied while regaining his composure. He was able to steady himself, he lowered his arms back down to his sides and continued to hover a bare few inches above the ground.
“You got it? Ready for me to let go?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Leif nervously replied.
As Ben released his grip, Leif continued to hover. He was a little twitchy with his hands and legs as he tried to keep his balance.
“Spread your stance just a little. That will help.” Ben offered.
Leif spread his feet about a foot apart. His balanced improved and he started to relax a bit.
Ben backed away to give Leif more room and to admire his son’s new found ability. “You know, when they train helicopter pilots, they start by teaching them how to hover. Just keep practicing that and getting your balance before you start trying to move anywhere or go higher.”
Francie wasn’t sure how to feel. She could see the huge smiles on Ben and Leif. She didn’t want to ruin this for them. Thoughts of her parents and younger sister flooded her. A small tear gathered in the corner of her eye and she brushed it away before anyone could notice. “Guys, I think we should take this inside.”
Leif dropped back to the ground and absorbed the impact with a slight bend of his knees.
“I ‘spose you’re right dear.” Ben replied while giving the surrounding area a quick glance.
Leif placed an arm around Francie as they all walked to the house. “It’s okay mom,” he softly stated. “I’m not going to let anything happen to me.” He tightened his arm around her shoulders as they walked into the house.
***
The evening was full of non-stop talk and excitement as Leif got them caught up on how things were going at work, with his new car, his crazy neighbors by Lake Union, and finally about the cute girl at the office. The dining room got suddenly quiet at the mention of Jewels advances.
Leif wondered what the big deal was while he noticed ‘the look’ between his mom and dad - their way of silently agreeing on something with a single look before they expressed their feelings. It was the same look they gave each other before they gave him the sex talk when he was eleven and the ‘Being Responsible’ talk when he was fifteen. “What?” he asked.
Francie put on her ‘I just want to be helpful’ face. She knew Leif was a man now and could make his own decisions, but this was a topic she and Ben wanted to make sure Leif fully understood. “Do you remember our talk when you were eleven?”
“Really?” Leaf laughed. “I think I remember the sex talk pretty clearly. Plus, it was a big topic in middle school.”
“It’s not about that son.” Ben added with a chuckle. “It’s about the bonding.”
“Bonding? You mean commitment? I get that. Whoever I end up with is who I’m committed to stay with.” Leif could tell by the looks on their faces he was missing something.
“Commitment is good,” Francie added. “I’m sorry if we weren’t more clear before. Bonding is much more. It only happens with our kind. When you meet ‘the one’ you just know it. It becomes an instant bond. Sometimes we might pretend it’s not there.” She looked at Ben with a grin. “But, it always becomes a eternal, lasting bond. There’s no desire for anyone else.” She looked back at Leif. “Is that how it is with Jewels?”
Leif understood now. He did have it wrong all along and instantly his thoughts went to Carina. “Nope. Not with Jewels.” He stared blankly at the kitchen table while thinking of that blonde haired girl in school. The same one who haunted him in his dreams from the top of the evergreen tree. Looking up at his parents he asked, “Is it possible to bond with someone in middle school?”
“What? Middle school?” Ben stated more than asked. “I, I don’t know.” He looked at Francie who just shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe Georgeo would know. I’ was going to shoot him a note anyway, to give him the good news.”
“Dad. Mom. I need to try something.” Leif stated while standing up. “Let’s go to my room.”
Ben and Francie looked confused as they followed Leif up the stairs and to his old bedroom. Leif flung the door open and stood in the threshold. It was almost a year since he had seen it last.
“I thought you were going to use this for your paintings?” he stated to his mom while gazing inside.
“I will,” she replied while placing a hand on his shoulder. “Once I get enough time.”
Leif walked into his bedroom letting his mom’s hand drift off of his shoulder. His parents were still not sure of what this was all about. They stayed just outside the doorway while Leif slowly ran one hand along the top and front edge of his old dresser. He visualized the image of the bald eagle standing there gazing at him and then looking out the window. He walked over to the window and spread the curtains apart. It was darker now, the sun had set almost an hour ago while they were having dinner. A small sliver of the moon was showing just to the right of the tallest evergreen tree. He visualized Carina standing in the tree, petting the eagle, and gesturing for him to come up.
“What is it son?” Ben asked. He stepped into the room and gazed out the window to see what Leif was staring at.
“I have to do this,” Leif replied. He unlocked the window and slid it fully open. He turned and sat down on the window ledge and swung his legs around to hang them outside.
“Leif, honey.” Francie rushed into the room and placed a hand on Leif’s shoulder. “You don’t have to do this now. You’re not fully ready yet.”
Ben knew his son was going to do what he wanted to do. He just stood back, ready to leap out the window if he needed to help.
“It’s okay mom.” Leaf stated while patting his mom’s hand. “I’ve got this.” He leaned out the window and pushed off the ledge with his hands. He stood straight up as if there was a floor outside the window, but there wasn’t. He was hovering next to the second floor window of his parent’s house. He kept his feet spread slightly apart to maintain his balance. He swirled his arms slowly as if he was floating in water, to turn himself around to face his parents. Both of them were leaning out the window. Francie was afraid and fearful for Leif. Ben was grinning ear-to-ear.
“It tingles.” Leif stated. “I can feel pressure under my feet and in the palms of my hands.” He turned his hands around to look at them. His body turned and moved as he turned his palms to face different directions. He giggled at the sensation. “I can feel it flow through me.”
“That’s the dark matter.” Ben added. “At least that’s what Georgeo has told me. Something in our body attracts it. We can feel it flow and as we get more sensitive to it we learn how to control it for our movement. Looks to me like you’ve got a pretty good start.”
“I’m going to go to that tree and stand in the top of it.” He pointed to the top of the tree. “That’s where I see her in my dreams. Carina, the blonde hair girl from middle school. She’s my bond. I’m going to find her, but before I do, I’m going to go stand in that tree.” He turned slowly to face the tree. He raised both arms to a point above his head and stroking down with his hands he slowly thrusted himself up to the tree top. He realized he could increase or decrease his speed by the position of his palms and how much surface of his palms he exposed. Just when he thought he had the speed controlled he extended his fingers down along his legs and quickly discovered this increased his speed instead of slowing him down. He arrived at the tree top much quicker than he expected. He reached out to grab the top of the tree, but found that extending his hands caused him to drift farther away from the tree. He closed his eyes for a few seconds to concentrate on the flow of the energy through his body. Taking a deep breath, he calmed down and stood vertical with his feet spread for hovering. He opened his eyes and saw that the tree top was only a few feet away.
“You okay?” Ben asked while hovering between Leif and the house. Francie was still leaning out the window - almost in tears from watching Leif fumble around the tree top.
“Dad! I’ve got this!”
“Okay, okay. I just want to make sure you’re safe. I’ll stay right here. You know,” he nodded back toward Francie and continued, “you’re giving your mom a heart attack.”
Leif slowly slid over to the treetop, stepped onto a branch and gripped the thin trunk with one hand. He relaxed and let himself move with the top of the tree as it swayed in the breeze. He closed his eyes and listened to the wind, the rustling of the leaves, and the creaking of the branches. It was comforting knowing Carina could be out there somewhere. She had to be. He felt the bond and he knew it was real - now that he understood it was more than just commitment. He opened his eyes and gazed up at the stars and the wisps of clouds slowly drifting by.
Ben was hovering next to the second story bedroom window with one arm around Francie’s shoulders. He was busy composing a message with his other hand on his smartphone.
Georgeo. The boy has matured!