Up in the Air

Chapter 1

I wake up to the dawn of the day before our 13th birthday. Every child in my age group is about to turn 13, and become a young adult. My pod opens the door for me, and I exit into the soft morning light.

In the leafy trees above me, a bird calls, which is answered by another. Green-tinted light reaches the forest floor and sets it aglow. Through the leaves, I can see hints of the brilliant blue sky above

"Savannah, let's go! It's a big day for you!" I look up to see my mother sitting above me, perched on a branch. She's smiling down at me, and her light blue feathered wings flutter, like they always do when she's excited. She brushes a strand of brown-black hair from her face.

"I need to go smooth my hair, at least." I say. "I don't want to show up for the Ceremony of Wings with this rat's nest." I gesture at my tangled hair. Even though it's short, my hair can get easily tangled.

"Wow!" My mother says. "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Savannah? I thought that you hated to comb your hair!"

"Well, today is different." I say. "I'm really nervous. What if I don't get wings?"

"You will, Savannah, don't worry." Mother says, leaping off of the branch and gliding down towards me. I back up to giver her room to land.

"But..."

"No buts. You will get your wings today, I'm sure of it. Now, go comb your hair." After reaching inside her pod, she hands me a comb.

Normally, I would eat breakfast now, but today, I start heading towards the stream closest to our home. Because of the Ceremony of Wings, the tradition is that I will eat after I am given wings.

If I'm given wings.

Stop that. I tell myself. Nobody has ever not gotten wings before. I know that my fears are unjustified. Somehow, I just know.

I don't bother putting shoes on, since the ground is covered with a soft carpet of leaves. After a few minutes of walking, I come across the stream. It isn't large, being small enough for me to jump across. Setting my comb down on the bank, I plunge my hands into the frigid water, splashing it up onto my face and hair. The cold makes me gasp, jolting me fully awake.

Combing my hair is easier when it's wet, so I now drag the brush through my fine, light brown hair.

Jogging back towards my pod, I remember that I need to bring it with me to the Ceremony of Wings. Ever since I got it, when I was 10, it has just been a place where I sleep. All of the things my family owns are in the pods of my parents. When I was younger, I was small enough to fit in one pod or another. I remember my pride at getting my own pod. Now, I will have my wings, and my pod will be fully formed as well. I still won't get to choose my environment for a while more, but, still.

Wings!

Getting to my family's cluster of pods (one for each person), I come up to mine, which is a bit smaller than the other two. I know what to do, since much of my school work has been about our pods. I press my hand against its smooth, white surface, and, as it begins to shrink, realize for the first time the it looks almost exactly like an hen's egg, in shape and color. When it stops shrinking, it's small enough to fit in my palm.

Of course, this is only for transportation. When the Ceremony begins, it will go back to normal size.

My father steps out of his pod, already having gotten ready to go. He spreads his wide red and orange wings, feathered like my mother's. Because both of my parents have feathered wings, I most likely will, too. We will only know after the Ceremony.

"Are you ready for today?" He asks, tossing me some shoes. Even though the forest floor may be soft, I still need shoes for the Ceremony, since it's a formal event.

"I hope so." I say, seeing my mother coming out from her pod. I take a deep breath. "I'm ready. Let's go."