Week 9: The McConkeys- The Time Has Come

Full Prompt: “The time has come, and as is tradition within their people, a mother is teaching her daughter for the first time how to fly”

Story:

Kaida sprang from her bed. Today was the day! She had anticipated it as far back as she could remember and sleep was the least of her priorities on this bright and beautiful morning. 

You’ve met one of Kaida’s kind. That friend who’s never there when you want them but always when you need them, the person who deftly deescalates a tense situation, the stranger who said or did just the right thing to turn your bad day around- these are the Kemuel. They course-correct, lift up, nudge scenarios and people in better directions than they might have steered themselves. They use all they possess to help keep humanity from darkness. One of their strongest and purest tools is that of flight. Today Kaida is to learn to wield that tool. Today Kaida is to learn to fly.

“Mom, wake up!!” Kaida yelled as she ran into her mother’s room and pounced on the bed.

In order to fly one must have pure light and love in their heart- it is why so many can’t. The vast majority of people take for granted the good and instead choose to focus on anger and fear and frustration. They let doubt rule them. To be able to fly you must truly believe you can. So to give their young the best chance at this mindset and ability, the Kemuel live away from the world until an appropriate age. To harness flight enables them to traverse great distances in short time, to aid others in swift manner, to see the world with more clarity. Without a firm foundation in the belief of its possibility, no new Kemuel would be able to fly. So until they are ready to bear the burdens of truth and the world- until they are ready to care for others, until they are ready to fly, the young Kemuel are kept secret. 

Sylph, Kaida’s mother, opened one eye: “We don’t all rise so easy as you my daughter…” At which Sylph sprang up in her bed and scooped her daughter into her arms. “Some of us rise faster!” 

Sylph was one of the oldest living Kemuel. She had stayed unsteady hands moments before they caused harm, she had been present to calm fears which would have led to wars, she had seen many atrocities. But in combat of those, she had inspired incalculable glimmers of hope. She stayed steadfast in her pursuits. A quality many of her kind had found impossible when faced with reality and what humanity was capable of. 

Sylph and Kaida stood on the edge of a manmade skyscraper. A type of building Kaida had heard, but never seen the likes of before. 

“Where are we?” The child inquired. 

Without answering her daughter’s question Sylph replied: “My daughter- it is time for you to fly.”

“Are you sure? There’s no trick? Nothing more you need to tell me?…” Kaida asked.

“No. You’re ready. Just hold in your heart the happiest memory you have- and leap.”

Kaida closed her eyes and thought of running through butterfly laden fields and her mother’s embrace. She thought of excitement and adventure and all the unseen things she hoped to see and she jumped. 

Kaida fell. And she fell. As she fell a new thought crossed her mind- something she’d never thought before- what if she couldn’t fly? She opened her eyes and saw the windows of the building whirring by. For the first time in her life she was feeling… what was this feeling? Fear? Was she afraid? She was filled with myriad new and familiar emotions at once. Fear, thrill, panic, exhilaration- she had thought of little more than this moment for as long as she could remember- she wanted to learn to fly! But this was nothing like she thought it would be. What had her mother said? “Don’t panic,” she thought. “Light and love,” she reminded herself. “Think. Think hard.” Kaida closed her eyes and softened her mind. She was a Kemuel; the daughter of Sylph. She was chosen to help all others and if she could not learn to fly right now she would be able to help no one. As these thoughts flooded her mind, her body went light. She felt gravity’s pull lessen. Her fall slowed and ceased. She began to rise. By the time she opened her eyes all she could see were clouds. 

Her mother's voice softly whispered behind her: “From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were a miracle. Not a single Kemuel has flown on their first attempt…”

“Not even you?” Kaida asked, still transfixed by the clouds.  

“Not even me.” Her mother beamed. 

“…but I did.” Kaida confirmed.

“But you did.” 

“I just remembered what you told me, momma. And I remembered how many people I could help if only I could fly.” 

Sylph’s eyes filled with tears of pride. 

“You will go on to help many people, my love.”

Kaida smiled, feeling the warm air currents, taking in views and textures and feelings reserved only for the birds. In this moment there was pure light and love- a memory Kaida would call upon to help her through her many tribulations yet to come.