"If you were to fall from the sky, where would you like to land?"

"I dunno..."

Clover and his friend Hazel stared out into the ocean from the docks of Harleton.

"...What will I be doing in the sky to begin with?"

Clover continued

Hazel turned to face him.

"You're a pilot"

He heaved his shoulders and tilted his head to the side. "So what if I am. Doesn't mean I like flying."

He had been preparing for a day like this for what seemed like a lifetime; A clear, sunny day at the docks on the always cloudy Island.

And alone time with his childhood crush, Hazel.

Today he wore his yellow jacket quite a contrast from the bright red uniform he has to wear 24/7, along with plain jeans and a pair of sneakers.

The boy was ready to confess his feelings for her.

They had lived, ate, worked and travelled together for 19 years.

Somewhere along the way, his friendship turned to a love for her.

And today she would know.

"The other day..." Hazel faced the ocean once more ."...you asked whether I have a crush on someone right?"

Clover was caught off guard

"Y-yeah... Well-"

He stuttered and it was embarasing.

"I was too embarassed to tell anyone so I said no, well the truth is..."

She stared back at the ocean, her silver ponytail fluttering about in the wind.

Absolutely stunning.

Was about to slip out from his mouth.

Her round featureless face and her pale skin, very much resemble a porcelain doll.

Her deep green eyes contrast with her very being.

He ended up fascinated whenever he looked at her.

Her lips slightly parted and he hoped she would speak the words he were looking for.

"...I've been going out with Mill for six weeks now."

Those words had successfully engraved themselves into his heart.

He steadied himself and fought to hold in his confusion.

He was good at that.

"Wow, Mill?..."

He was the son of Sam Gray, one of the biggest manufacturer of ships in the world.

Also his former classmate.

"...how did that happen?"

Ow

"It was at the northern harbour of Seri, I was on my way back from delivering objectives to a departing ship..."

She tells the story of the encounter as her pale face turns pink.

"...When I slipped on a rock and sprained my ankle. He was there and offered to carry me to the clinic."

She continued to tell the story of her vivid memory, whilst staring into the horizon.

She truly was a love struck maiden.

"He left a note, telling me to meet him at Terry's diner; and since then weve been going out."

Clover has lost the motivation to tell her his feelings.

It was her life she could choose anyone she wanted.

"Wow, you've got a rich guy waiting for you, huh?"

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

He was swallowing his heart here.

"Now I don't have to take care of you. I'm very happy for you."

He lied.

His whole reality is crashing around him. And there is nothing he can do about it.

"I figured that I should tell you first before everyone else because you're like a brother to me and I would like your support."

That was the final nail driven into the coffin.

In the distance a large ship's horn could be heard blaring out the ambience of the island

"So soon?, I have to go now, changing shifts. I'll see you later then." she smiled at him before running off

This is hazel, the girl he has known for years, and Mill has beat him to her.

"No Problem."

That night he slept with a new kind of releif.

Its not rejection but something else.

Like a brother to her.

Huh?

2

"All clear. The ships are cleared to Proceed."

Clover put down his headset, he was done for the day. He looked at his buddy.

"Its all good today,"

Michael set up his little boat ready to leave the little plane floating in the middle of the ocean.

"Cheer up mate, a day with me at the bar will wash away your worries."

He pat his friend on the shoulder.

"Im a pilot. I shouldn't be drinking. What if an emergency vessel needs help."

"You dont need to drink to let loose shithead. "

They exchanged glances.

"Fine..."

Clover sighed.

"...I'll meet you at the bar."

"Gotcha"

Michael's little boat left, Buzzing away into the horizon.

'If you were to fall from the sky where would you prefer to land. '

"Inside a volcano I guess."

He whispered to himself.

The small, red plane began lightly skiping on the surface of the water Before lifting into the air.

He became an oceanic guide so he could stay with her as she was an on shore navigator.

Sure it was even more stressful than an office job, but it did pay handsomely. All the painfull years in academy and at work felt like nothing now.

His hard work for a heartbreak.

What now?

Getting over things was one of Clover's greatest strengths. He just needed some time alone.

He looked down to the ocean from the window.

Plenty of fish in the sea?

How can I get one when I'm always in the

sky?

His chain of thoughts were interupted by a thud in the roof.

It was quiet for quite somewhile.

Just as he was about to assume it is a bird, there was a bright flash and the world turned into an abysss of flames.

For a moment he saw the sky or the sea, he couldnt tell because it was all a raging blue.

But one thing was certain.

He was falling.

And fast.

The plane had dissapeared and he is now thousands of meters in the air.

His body cold and his mind numb, preparing himself for death was all he could do.

He gave in to fear and passed out just as he braced for impact with whatever was below him.

3

Warm, it was warm.

The slight scent of sweet strawberries wafted in his nose for a fraction of a second and was gone.

The feeling in his body slowly returned to him as he inched his eyes open bit-by-bit.

His vision cleared and he could make sense of which way was up.

He was in a large expansive room. There was nothing in it besides a table and the bed he woke up in.

The walls were made of a shiny marble and the floor was of granite tiles, polished and reflective.

There were no doors, but there was a massive window facing what seemed to be the jungle.

Clover could not care what it looked like, he just wanted to go to home.

Huh?

Trying to get up, he struggled only to realise his arms are completely covered in bandages.

So, I actually did fall from the sky, but where am I.

His right leg also couldnt move, probably wrapped too. All he could do was wait.

He turned his head to the table. It was a dark oak. Looked expensive.

There really was no way out of this room.

A click and a creak caused him to nearly jump, but he's in way to much pain to actually do it.

The dark wall across from the bed had a rectangular section opened as if it were a door.

It was.

"Glad that you're awake, but please keep the self harm to a minimum"

Heavy footsteps reverbrated through the almost empty room as a monolith of a man walked over to the left side of his bed, overshadowing him and put a clipboard on the table.

He wore a grey coat and wore a plain white shirt with a plain white bowtie, and a pair of plain black trousers with black shoes.

"Where am I?"

"Don't you want to know who I am first?"

The man turned to face clover directly.

He wore round tinted spectacles. His goate reflecting in the light of the dim bedside lamp.

His hair was a darker shade of black than his pants.

"No, don't care. I want to home."

The man furrowed his eyebrows and gave a dissapointed smile.

"My name is doctor Radcliffe, and if you want to leave, be my guest. Stand up, the door is right behind me."

He was serous, but Clover was too injured to go anywhere.

"Okay, I give."

The doctor smiled at the young man's co-operation.

"Now, mister?..."

"Tades."

Clover reluctantly answered.

"Tades. You've suffered large but light injuries on your limbs and will be good to go in a few weeks."

The doctor seems legit. But isn't really trustworthy.

Good to go?

"Go where?, whats going on?"

Clover's mind was awake now and lots of things needed answers.

"What happened to my plane?"

The doctor just smiled at him.

"Be sure to take care of yourself untill then. Ill check on you in a few days."

"Hey!"

The doctor left the room but he left the door open.

He could see a lighter marble wall through the doorway, It was a hallway of some sort.

As the doctors foot steps faded, a lighter pair of shoes could be heard getting louder from the opposite direction.

Clover wanted to see if another perculiar character were to enter his recovery room.

A girl wearing a white shirt, black tunic and poorly done tie; which was also black, walked in the hallway passing by the room.

She paused and looked into the spacous room. As soon as she made eye contact with clover she vanished into thin air faster than she appeared.

What the hell?