Sky Jump Read online

  The Mages sent the Skyjump’s away when they returned with the Earthen Brethren who they did not kill because they were not a blood thirsty people. They left peaceably because the Mages worried what could happen if a Skyjump married a Mage, for the fear it could create a child who could anger the Earthen brethren back into war.

  The Skyjump’s moved far away into a land hidden through a portal that was given to them by the Mages out of gratitude for saving them. As time went on the Mages and Earthen brethren became more and more spread out, but their power diminished until today’s city more technology than magic in human hands.

  But the Skyjump’s kept their power as it was passed through the next blood line yet they seemed to slowly vanish.

  My father always said we were the last of a dying breed, it always felt unreal and the rumors of the Earthen brethren’s return was the reason we moved all the time. There were still some who hated Skyjump’s because of what happened so very long ago.

  “And now the competitors of the junior league!” the announcer said and walked over with the mic to all the smaller kids.

  All of the boys spoke their names briskly into the mic, while the girl was soft-spoken as she answered,

  “Clara.”

  The announcer pulled back and pointed to one of the low spires that was only one story or so where a flag gently swayed on the platform at the point, the flag held a SkyJump beast emblem on it as it wavered in the pastel light.

  “The youth will climb only the bottom of the building’s point in as fast a time as possible. The first to reach the flag will be considered the winner of the competition and receive the blue gloves.” the announcer held up the gloves with the same Skyjump beast on them.

  I watched as the announcer motioned for the teens to step to his right so the people could watch as the junior group stepped up to the wall. Clara in the junior league looked back to a copper haired girl in the teen division who nodded to her, she smiled as if reassured by the simple gesture.

  It was nice to see competitors being kind to one another, of all the competitions I had seen and the few I had been in taught me that most competitors were much crueler than what a true Skyjump would ever act like.

  Turning as the announcer quieted the crowd the little girl opened and closed her hands as she, like the boys looked up and strategized their path of which objects would get you up the wall fastest.

  “If you shove or kick another competitor off you will be penalized to wait until the other competitor reaches back to the spot they were at. And if one drop of blood is seen from a punch or kick to the face on purpose you will be disqualified.” He looked to the group and then the crowd.

  “With that said, ready, set…” I watched as one of the boys glanced over at the little girl and mouthed something that made her bite her lip as she looked back to the wall.

  She readied to climb the door knobs and bits of junk attached to the building that had become the sport of Skyjumping, “GO!” the announcer shouted.

  I took a sharp breath and watched as they rushed at the wall grabbing and climbing with jerky movements and then moments of flow to how they climbed, my heart lodged in my chest wishing I could compete again as I had when I was small.

  With the threat of the Earthen brethren becoming prevalent again I had not competed in years as my skill was too natural to be anything less than the Skyjump descendent I was.

  My mind came back to the young competitors as a boy with dark red hair slipped. The crowd cried out as he grappled for another hold but missed, he fell passing two boys then catching a frame thats glass shattered under his grasp. With a sharp wince, he regained his hold on the wall of random objects.

  “The boy may have a cut on his hand, but he is not letting that stop him.” The announcer said as the crowd cheered him on.

  I caught sight of the teen copper-haired girl as she held her hands tightly watching the little girl, Clara, climb. She climbed very well for her age and she had already passed two boys and was close behind the boy in the lead. They were more than half way to the top, the flag now would be easily within the boy in the leads view and soon in Clara’s sights.

  Looking back up to the wall to find Clara was in the lead. The crowd stayed in a consistent cheer with one family or person yelling something encouraging after the other.

  “YA!” I yelled adding to the crowd as they got louder and louder.

  I saw the boy look back at Clara and I realized it was the boy who had said something to her, he grimaced down for only a second before he rushed what he was doing and fell from his hold down beside her grasping to small hand hold.

  They looked at one another and then raced up, Clara seemed to be in the lead as she only had a door knob and a metal pipe to grab before she reached the top when the boy slipped and grabbed her barefoot.

  She tried to jump for the flag. Her finger graced its wavering tip before they both plummeted toward the stand below. As if in slow motion the crowd gasped, the girl screamed and a shimmering net materialized and waver as they were suspended in what almost looked like thin air if not for the slight glimmering pieces of weaved net.

  “Oh, tough break for the two in the lead, but look, Clark Jerome has the flag!” the crowd roared for the boy at the top who held the flag high where he sat on the little landing.

  My eyes held on the girl, Clara, who looked up, her eyes filled with tears.

  She put her hands to her face as she cried. The boy seemed to say something to her as he jumped from the net and started down the wall. The net lowered to the ground and a group of family rushed over to the little girl.

  My heart clasped in my chest as I had wanted to see her at the top. My eyes moved to the boy, he tromped past her and seemed to be kicking every rock he could as he made his way into the crowd.

  “Congratulations Clark.” The announcer said as he handed the boy a pair of blue crest gloves.

  The boy looked over the crowd with his jaw high as if he had fought some courageous battle.

  I wanted to go to the little girl and give her a pair of gloves I had just for the fact that I could as the teens stepped forward.

  “The next competition is the teens.” he paused and looked over the group of five.

  My chest burned. I knew I would regret not giving that little girl a pair of my gloves my whole life if I didn’t. I started trying to move through the crowd that was holding tighter together.

  “Pardon me.” I said as I squeezed through and passed people trying to pull out a pair of gloves from my bag as I moved.

  “We seem to be missing one competitor that is listed on the roster...” The announcer said as I came to the last row of people before I got to the little girl and her family.

  Pulling my gloves out of my bag I graced through the last line of people.

  “Aha! There she is.” The man said and suddenly I realized he pointed somewhere out in the crowd.

  I glanced over to find him pointing directly at me. I froze and stopped walking for the little girl as the whole crowd and group of suddenly older seeming teens looked to me and I felt my face burn. Before I could run, one of the men who had been talking to the announcer’s assistant grabbed me by the arm and in a daze I followed him to the stairs.

  He took my bag and vest, leaving me with gloves in my hand and thin foot compressed shoes that were suited for Skyjumping.

  “Get up on the stage.” the man said as he moved me up the stairs my feet faltered and every time I thought to escape I could do nothing but keep going.

  It was as if my mind was three hours in lag and I was franticly trying to get it back to the present to stop what was happening. I finally got a hold of my voice as we stood on the platform. While some of the competitors looked over annoyed, others seemed curious.

  “I’m not in the competition.” I voiced, glancing out and praying my father was not out there.

  It seemed I said it loud enough for the announcer to hear as his voice brought my attention to him,

  �
�Well that’s alright, you have gloves and we are missing one person so can you join in, Miss?”

  “Deshion.” I said breathless, my mind not even knowing how to escape what had just happened and not thinking to say my first name in the heat of the moment.

  “Well with the new competitor we will get started, that is, unless you want me to retell the tale of Skyjumping?” he asked, the teens answered by shaking their head’s hard as laughing mumbled from the crowd.

  I still stood stunned looking out at the crowd and thankfully not finding my father there or by the truck… Yet.

  The announcer reiterated the rules as my mind numbed scanning the crowd again making my heart flutter. I looked at the other contestants as they glanced at me.

  Taking a steadying breath I glanced at my own family bracelet that was beaded gold and black as I slipped on my old pair of grey gloves. The marks of gold in the Skyjump design faded from wear.

  Taking a deep breath, I had not remembered this much pressure as we walked to the wall, my hearing in a haze. I looked up and my mind seemed to thrum, then a jolt that took all my fear; it liked the challenge the looming height presented and within me that spark that was passed through generations swelled.

  Glancing behind me as the other competitors still looked at me from the side I considered maybe just this once, I could get away with this last Skyjumping without my father knowing.

  I hoped.

  Chapter 3

  “Competition”

  I licked my lips and quickly put my hair back as I realized the girl standing next to me was the one that had been in the crowd and the boy next to her, the one with the Mohawk, both had been wearing winning gloves.

  Looking over to them I nodded, they still all seemed to be looking at me.

  “Best of luck on the climb.” I said glancing up with my heart racing.

  The girl next to me laughed a harsh snicker, up close she seemed about my age.

  “I don’t need luck, I’m going to win.” She said and put her nose in the air.

  The boy with the mohawk snickered softly and behind him I saw the girl with copper hair shake her head at him, as did the boy by her in annoyance. The announcer waited for the almost invisible net to be positioned as we were to climb to the top of the building and grab the flag from the highest spire.

  “Not if I win it first, and besides I only have one real competitor here.” he said looking to the girl next to him who seemed as self-absorbed as he did.

  I took a breath and ignored them but noticed the other two farther down nod to me in respect of how you would normally answer other competitors.

  The announcer spoke as I turned back to face the wall.

  “Now we are ready and the net’s set. Ready…” I took a breath and closed my eyes as the two to the side of me snickered.

  “Meditating, that’s cute. But it won’t win this game. Loser.” The girl said and the boy coughed out laughter.

  I felt what was around me fade and within my mind I saw what I had just glanced up at on the wall ignoring her words.

  “Set.” The announcer said and I felt the others stiffen as their feet shifted impatiently ready to go.

  “GO!” the announcer yelled.

  The rush of sound and cheering filled my ears as my eyes flew open and I realized that I was last one on the stand as the others were already climbing.

  Moving to the wall I grasped a metal plate and started up. My movements were stiff at first, until my mind and body remembered how I loved climbing. The rush, the pounding in my chest and the feeling of moving up.

  The two who had bad mouthed me looked back and scoffed as I worked to get into a rhythm that was within my soul. The others would come to spots and stop as we started getting higher but I started to gain on the group until at last I grabbed for a metal latch and thrust myself up. Feeling and moving as if in a trance though I knew every move and motion I made, like an artist painting on canvas.

  “What the?!” I heard the boy with the mohawk say as I passed them all.

  Climbing higher as the wind grew harsher made me feel all the more invigorated to climb.

  “It seems the last minute competitor Miss Deshion is taking a good lead moving with a speed and agility, the best I have seen in years.” he said.

  The crowd applauded and I felt my chest burn with pride, but then I slowed my grapple on a door knob as my father’s face caught in my mind: his brow low and his head shaking at me for doing what I was doing.

  What was I doing?!

  “Hey, lost your cheating charm or something?!” The boy with the mohawk chided as he raced past my side clumsily grappling for his next place but moving in a way that sooner or later would have him falling.

  Gulping, I looked back up realizing that the other competitors were also gaining. I started moving, swaying and grappling from object to object as the sun started to paint the wall in hues of orange and yellow.

  I glanced behind me to find the girl with copper hair, who Clara had looked to, was close behind me with the snob of a girl who wore winning gloves right behind her. Glancing back up as I moved I noticed that the boy with the mohawk had slowed as he shifted from one hand hold to another seemingly stuck.

  Looking back I realized that the speaker was nothing but a hiss aided by the clatter of cheers like a distant mumble being high up. I came to the next hold, stopping, I realized there was nothing but sheer wall above.

  Looking over I knew this was the reason why the boy with the Mohawk had stopped as I held to a metal dowel, my arms and hands throbbing but my mind keeping the pain back as it was taken with adrenalin.

  “This is rigged!” The boy with the Mohawk yelled and kicked a glass bottle by his shoe that broke and started down at those below.

  “Look out!” I called in panic.

  The girl who Clara had looked to dodged onto another bar as well as the boy who she had been talking with following her lead, both nodded thanks when a yelp came making all three of us look down.

  “AHH!” The prissy teen cried as she was pelted by glass and letting go of her hand hold, she slipped, falling to the glistening net far below.

  I looked up harshly to the boy with the Mohawk as he looked down with a twitch in his eyes for knocking the girl he called his only competition off.

  “What are you doing?! You could have gotten someone injured for no reason!” I yelled as I stabilized myself on the rod, feeling another breeze pass by that was growing harsher.

  He looked over to me and spit downward.

  “Shut up.” He said harshly and started moving to the side to find a hand hold.

  With a roll of my eyes, I looked up again realizing there was bars and items above, they were just far enough you would have to jump.

  I glanced below me and then up again, maybe I could make it.

  Moving my legs above me onto another rod I pushed myself up, leaned against the wall as my hair came undone from its pony tail and whipped into my face.

  What am I doing? Again, I questioned as my eyes glanced only once to the side to know I was far enough up that looking down was a bad idea.

  The nagging need to climb burned within me and I looked up, a cabinet handle was the lowest thing I had to go for.

  Taking a deep breath as the others started to slow only a few feet below I glanced to the boy with the Mohawk and he looked stunned, glancing from me to what I was thinking of doing.

  “I must be crazy.” I said, shaking my head, unsure If I really was insane.

  Looking up, I shifted my footing and sprung up.

  The wind, pushing me off my course, made my heart stop as I desperately reached for the handle and for one moment it slipped when my other hand caught it.

  The roar from the crowd below and the gasp of the other competitors brought me from my daze as I felt the wind rasp out of me and then fill in a soft laugh. I had made it!

  Grinning, I looked up and started for a stapler and pencil. The objects to climb were getting smaller but as many sai
d of Skyjumps, they could climb nails and move with wind beneath them.

  Working my way up I moved back and forth with rhythm to the wind and though I felt my one hand was cut from a jutting piece of glass I moved to the top spire with ease where you could just see the flag flapping in the wind.

  Another grappling move and then another and I was to the top ledge as my hands pulled me over and into the small circle of the top spire, it had a small step up to the flag as if to emphasize the winning moment.

  Panting, I smiled and though my legs and arms burned, my chest felt as airy as the height I was at which was above where they brought the cameras knowing the competitors would rush to the flag and then hold it over the edge to signify the end of the competition.

  I started to stand when a sudden blow hit my nose and cheek.

  “Ahh!” I cried as my face slipped to the ground while running echoed past me.

  Cringing, it took me a moment before I looked up with watering eyes, but when I did, I found the boy with the Mohawk grasping the flag!

  The other two competitors who made it this far came over the edge as I looked at the flag stunned. The girl and boy I had warned looked back and forth from the two of us as I sat up with something dripping down my lips and from my nose.

  “Losers.” Was all the boy with the mohawk said as he raised the flag over the edge with two bloody fists.

  A roar, seconds later, echoed up from below and with that, he jumped over the side of the building.

  It was all I could do to keep from turning into a Skyjump beast and jump after him to gore him to death with my antlers as my brow held slanted.

  Coughing, I shook my head trying to remove the fuzz in my brain as my nose stung in a tender kind of pain. The two ran over and knelt.

  “Hey, are you okay?” The girl with copper hair asked kindly as they both helped me to stand up.

  I swayed and nodded as I took a deep breath and looked over to the edge of my hair, drifting next to my cheek.