Chapter 8: Escape from Sky
"No, no, no. This can't be happening...this is all a dream. That's it! I'll wake up sleeping beside grandpa. It's all just one bad dream."
The words were but a whisper as Harmonia forced her eyes shut. She would count to ten, think of only happy things, and the soldiers from the Corporation would be gone with their one shooters ready to fire. Or perhaps she would find Edward waiting to place another gentle kiss upon her lips, instead of the Corporal Stonewall who had taken his place. Even still, an even smaller part of her hope that all those years separated from her parents would all be revealed as nothing more than an endless nightmare. In that reality, if she wished hard enough, she would open her eyes to find them seated at the edge of her bed waiting to comfort her. But when Harmonia opened her eyes the dire situation that she had hope to leave behind was still very much a reality.
"Well, well, well," started Captain Dibella stepping out from her band of Privateers and Corporate lackeys. "What do we have here?"
Corporal Stonewall, the boy the companions had known as Edward, stood a few steps behind her, "Runaways and criminals. They shame all of Sky!"
"Settle yourself now Corporal Stonewall. Your passion for the state is admirable, but surely these criminals have tongues. I know this one does. It isn't the first time we've met, is it Captain Jessi?"
Harmonia turned back to the blue eyed sky pilot and her peculiar animal friend. The woman had looked much older than Ro and herself, but Captain Dibella was still even older. It had been the first time she had heard the woman's name, let alone how she knew the Captain from the Corporations and her mindless military entourage. Captain Jessi was becoming more and more interesting with each passing moment.
"We could have waited a little while longer before another of our ever delightful reunions Dibella," joked the cool headed Captain Jessi.
"Come now Captain, surely individuals with such esteemed titles such as ourselves should stay in touch. After all, you have a ship, I have a much bigger ship, it was almost meant to be," Dibella had begun circling the sky pilot.
"Two peas in a pod," Jessi was already scanning around the room trying to find some way to dodge the guns that remained poised to fire.
Dibella stopped just short of the blue eyed woman with a malicious smile spread across her narrow lips, "How long has it been now Captain Jessi? One year, or perhaps two?"
"Ah, something like that I think," Jessi tried to look the Captain from the Corporations square in the eyes. "Don't know how I could forget the particulars. Coming across you is always so memorable Dibella."
The cold woman's eyes suddenly turned towards Harmonia, "Tell me girl, how does a runaway end up with a Free Trader?"
"I'm not a runaway though...I'm only fourteen...." Harmonia was cut short.
It was Corporal Stonewall who interjected before the girl could finish, "You are as honest as I am Harmony. If you are fourteen, then I am actually a sixteen year old boy. Which doesn't leave us with much, does it?"
"Wait, Edward...I mean...whoever you are...you told us you were sixteen," even looking at him almost brought her to tears.
"Sixteen? Ah yes, such a wonderful age," mocked Dibella. "Your young Edward here has long since passed the age of conscription. He's been working for us for quite some time now. Luring runaways in with his charm and charisma, making them feel safe as if they were in the clear, and in the end, he always brings them to me. How devastating that must be to hear?"
Harmonia could not hold back the tears any longer, "Edward...I mean...who cares what your name is! You lied about your age, you lied about your name, and what else, all of your stories and feelings too?!"
Corporal Stonewall struggled through a moment of shame before the Captain urged him on, "Well, go on 'Edward', answer the poor girl. She's already in tears. There's not much more you can do to wound her pride."
The boy who had once called himself Edward could not find the right words as he produced the harsh bitter truth, "No. None of what went on between us was real. You are a fun and pretty girl Harmony, but you're still a criminal, and I could never love a criminal."
Harmonia collapsed to the ground as the heavy sadness crashed onto her fragile heart.
"Why Corporal Stonewall, look at what you've done to this poor pretty girl," spoke Dibella brushing a false comforting hand through Harmonia's hair. "You should know better than to think you can have a happy life as a criminal on Sky? Surely this isn't some children's book where everything ends happily and a valiant hero comes to save the day. Child, the world is cold, and it will chew you to the bone before it spits you out again."
Captain Jessi was already grinding her teeth, "You're the cold one, you know that Dibella. Don't you have a heart inside your chest just like the rest of us?"
"Ha," Dibella returned her attention to Captain Jessi. "There's no time for such nonsense these days. The people of Sky must learn who is in charge and why those who rule hold such an elevated seat of power above mongrels such as you."
"Uh...because they're greedy, selfish, scum-sucking dogs, probably even lower on the food chain actually, that only care about themselves? Does that about cover it? Oh yeah, I forgot heartless," smiled Jessi.
It was then that Grumbler also broke his silence from his spot on the table as he readied to lunge upon his master's order, "Grumble! Grumble!"
"Quite the contrary in fact. If anything, the Corporations are the only hope left for this planet. We are the only form of control. We who save people from themselves. Surely you of all people should know this by now?"
"Oh yeah, because all I've seen is how generous and giving the Corporations can be. Sure thing there Captain," Jessi's tone was growing only more sarcastic.
Dibella now turned around and began marching towards the soldiers who awaited her command, "That is what none of you commoners seem to understand. You do not realize that we who elevate ourselves do so because we are more worthy of the title than any other. A person does not reach a position of my standing within the Corporations until they learn that simple truth. Some are born far superior to others. And if it were not for constant regulations on food and water for the commoners, why, they would have drained all of our resources long ago. Don't you see Captain Jessi, we at the Corporations are saving this planet by saving it from the likes of you."
"Ha," laughed Jessi suddenly motioning to Ro who had yet to say a word amidst his petrified fear. "Somehow it always seems to work out for you in the end, doesn't it Dibella? In fact, something tells me that if you were standing in my shoes, somehow, you'd be singing a completely different tune."
"And you see, this is where you are wrong, yet again your attempts at sensible humour fails you. No Captain Jessi. I do not sing any songs. In fact, I detest music all together," Dibella stopped in front of the row of soldiers and their one shooters. "If anything, the only sounds you will ever hear from me are orders. That means the only song you and your friends will be hearing today Jessi is that which will mark your condemnation and inevitable end. Soldiers, arrest these criminals!"
Harmonia was still in tears upon the floor as the first of the brownish red coloured soldiers from the Corporations lowered his gun and began walking towards their group. Captain Jessi knew it was now or never. She nudged Ro as she pointed towards the orb of light he had given her in exchange for their passage. Ro did not need to hear anything else as he quickly turned around and grabbed his gadget. Before any of the lackeys from the Corporations could react a blinding light filled the room. The Privateers, Corporal Stonewall, and even Captain Dibella, became frantic as they grabbed sheltered their eyes from the blinding pain. A shot went off in one direction which scared the other soldiers. Another followed ripping steel through the wooded white bar in the centre of the room.
Amidst the commotion Jessi had kept her cool, "Let's get out of here! We don't have any time to waste!"
Jessi grabbed Harmonia by the arm and yanked the crying girl back up to her feet. She could barely see, let alone understand what was going on. Ro did the best he could to direct them, keeping his eyes closed, while elevating the ball of light high in the air. Grumbler even tried to help, jumping down off the table and running wildly between the confused Privateers and pawns of the Corporations. The companions gathered and took flight while the going was good.
Only Dibella seemed to know what was going on, "It's a trick you fools! Shoot! Shoot them all! I want them all brought to justice!"
"I can't see!" screamed Corporal Stonewall from the ground beside his Captain. "My eyes...I can't open my eyes!"
By the time any of the soldiers from the Corporations had a chance to see what was happening the accused were already out the door. Only Jessi had stopped to leave a parting farewell, "Dibella! It's been a pleasure as always. Hope I don't see you any time soon, never would be better."
Once they were outside the mud-stuccoed tavern Ro turned off the light in a frantic panic, "What do we do!? What do we do!? How do we get out of here without running into more of them?"
Harmonia was still trying to pull herself back together out on the street, "No, no, no, I don't know. I just can't even think!"
"Kids! Now is not to time to be scared, a word of advice..." Jessi was frantically scanning up and down along the alleyway, "...just run!"
None of the company protested the idea. Jessi and Grumbler did not think about which way they were going as they led the way. Harmonia and Ro did all they could to keep up with the older woman and her unique friend. They turned left, and then right, then left again, seemingly moving in a circle, yet also finding themselves somewhere new. Each alley seemed to only lead to more alleys forming a labyrinth with no actual end. Even with the stony pillars that held the docked ships spiralling around them Jessi could not figure out how to navigate back to where they came.
"Any ideas Grumbler? I know it's not the best time to say it, but I can't really remember where we parked the ship," confessed Jessi as she tussled a hand through her hair. "To be honest, I can't even figure out which one of these sails are ours."
"What!?" shouted Ro. "How do you not even know your own ship? Can't you at least recognize the sails?"
"Kid," panted Jessi trying to catch her breath. "Didn't you hear that crazy woman back there when she said I was a Free Trader. Don't you know what that means?"
"I've heard of them before...but no...no I don't know what that means," Ro was almost ashamed that with all of the knowledge he had crammed into his small head he had been stumped by something he had not found in any of his books.
"Well, it's pretty straight forward kid. Free Traders trade for free," Jessi was scanning the pillars that made up the Skyport in hopes of finding her ship. "The Corporations run the entire import and export business on Sky. That means anything that leaves the planet, or what comes in, is all regulated by the Corporations. If they see something they like, they take more of it for themselves. Can you see why the Corporations might not like me so much?"
"Because they can't monitor what you bring in or take out? You slip behind their regulated checkpoints and bring things in for free," stated Ro with boastful pride.
"Let's not say for free, there's still bills to pay running a ship kid." Jessi was starting to panic a little as she struggled to find her ship, "Now, traders working for the Corporations, military ships, and all the rest, have their own special sails so people can see who they are. So if we don't want to be found, and more importantly, if we don't want anyone to know we're Free Traders, what do you think that means?"
"That means..." Ro had unconsciously begun picking at the bridge of his nose. "Oh! I've got it. that means you change the colours of your sails every time you come into port."
"Bingo kid! Not bad, you may just be useful after all...." Jessi was suddenly cut short by Grumbler whose antennas suddenly perked upright into the air.
"Grumble! Grumble!" rumbled Grumbler trying to say that something was drawing near.
A second later Corporal Stonewall came huffing and puffing around the corner. Another second passed and soon his whole entourage from the Corporations followed. Jessi did not wait to find her ship. She sighed a frustrated sigh and took off once more. Meanwhile Harmonia had only broken into tears for a second time after seeing the boy she had known as Edward. Inside her heart it felt like the world itself was coming apart at the seams. The more it tore open the harder it became to accept the fact that it could not be sown back together.
"Here we go!" shouted Captain Jessi as she led the way.
Harmonia could hardly hold herself together as she ran through the narrow and crowded alleys of Clear Sky. Strange faces appearing from all directions, every other one asking for bits of brass, or foods the likes of which she had never heard of. This truly was the shadowy bottom of the mountain humanity had built for itself. A human made object that could not blend with the natural landscape of a Sky long forgotten. All of the people who lived in the unnatural formation had no say in finding their way there in the first place. Clear Sky truly was a giant garbage bin, the place where the Corporations left the people they couldn't use. And the more Harmonia came to realize the truth behind her surroundings, the more she felt her legs giving way.
And then she felt a gentle arm urging her forward, "Come on Harmony. You can do it, I believe in you. We're so close."
Harmonia felt the words resonate through down to her spirit. She brushed away her tears only to find the words had belonged to Ro, the boy who had so seldom showed courage. Yet there he was, running even faster than before, refusing to leave her behind. Before she knew it, their legs were carrying them even faster than Grumbler's fury violet paws.
"Left!" shouted Captain Jessi. "I have an idea!"
Harmonia and Ro did not argue with the Captain. Grumbler only rumbled in usual fashion as a long tongue came tumbling out of its mouth. They had gained some distance on Dibella, but that did not mean they could stop running. Captain Jessi did her best to set the pace as she dashed right and up a wide set of steps. No one second guessed the cooled eyed Captain, it seemed like she was at the top of her game when under pressure. Another left, and another right, then Harmonia had lost her sense of direction yet again.
Before anyone had any time to think Jessi suddenly shouted, "Jump!"
The alleyway had led them to a dead drop, Jessi had managed to guide them down onto a nearby canopy that belonged to a radish salesman. Grumbler had somehow landed smoothly on the ground while the others struggled free from the red root vendor. Captain Jessi quickly apologized for the mess and they were off yet again. This time they caught their first stroke of luck.
"There she is...Time...the old gal. It's been ages you beautiful thing you!" shouted Jessi.
The Captain was pointing towards one of the older vessels that sat anchored amongst the multitude of ships. It had a great hull, one that looked as if it had taken more than just one beating. Three slightly slanted masts flew fresh red sails and upon the worn hull there had stood its weathered name, S.S. Time. A sudden epiphany hit Harmonia. Amidst the confusion she had forgotten about Bird. Without another moment to waste Harmonia unbuttoned its pocket and out shot the red feathered skylark. It was a strange thing, but somehow, Bird knew exactly what was going on.
"Chirp, cheep-cheep, chirp!" and with that, Bird moved with a speed Harmonia had never seen as it jet to the front of their company.
Captain Jessi was the first to notice it as it flew ahead, "Where did you come from?"
"Just trust it Captain Jessi!" shouted Harmonia from behind. "It will know where to go."
As Bird passed Grumbler his antennas had naturally begun to follow their red feathered guide. No matter which direction it chose to go, Grumbler was quick to follow.
"That's it!" Captain Jessi shot a finger up at the little Bird as it began flying backwards with amazing speed, almost showing off a little as it whizzed about. "That's where we have to go!"
Just as it had before back in the labyrinth of stone, Bird had marked their path. Through identical streets, around looming towards of steel and stone, its red wings flapped forward. A blank look had consumed Grumbler's eyes as it hypnotically followed with its antennas. It seemed he had lost all control in the face of the skylark. But soon enough, their company was fast approaching the pillar of stone that held the S.S. Time.
"Won't there be guards at the Skyport or anything?!" shouted Ro.
"Yeah...but don't worry about that. They don't exactly leave their best at the bottom of the rock. The higher ups are kept on inspection detail which happens to be right about now. It's not a big window, but it's better than nothing. Hopefully the inertial dampener was fixed like I asked, or else we'll all be flying through space the uncomfortable way! Ha, ha!"
Harmonia could soon see Ro's knees beginning to shake as they ran. Even she was all but ready to collapse. Her feet, her calves, her knees, her hips, and everything else on her body, it all hurt. By the time they reached the entrance of the Skyport Captain Jessi was already working on finding a distraction for the guards. There were only two Privateers, and one very circular man with a thick unkempt moustache. Captain Jessi whispered something into Grumbler's ear as it took off in a flash, moving much faster than Harmonia had expected it would. A moment later, Grumbler was behind the guards.
The plump man with the moustache was an officer in the Corporations judging by his attire. Yet even he did not notice Grumbler as he crept towards them. It was not until a purple paw had knocked out one of the legs from beneath the oblivious guards that the others reacted. Even with their one shooters already wasting their shots, Grumbler was off. An azure bolt of lighting scrambled away as the guards stumbled after their mysterious attacker.
Captain Jessi smiled, "Come on. We don't have much time. Grumbler will circle them around a few times until they're good and lost. Then he'll find his way back to the ship. Somehow he always manages to find us."
Then there came a sound that pierced through even the Captain's sly smile, the distant shouts of Dibella barking frustrated orders from somewhere too close for comfort. Their pursuers were drawing in on them which meant there was no time for a proper break. And so the company entered through the rounded tunnel that had been raised around the stairwell leading up to the Skyport.
"This is nothing like the amazing architecture you can find at the Capital Skyport. This place looks like it's falling apart," Ro looked at the stairwell in dismay.
"Hey now! This is the Clear Sky Skyport, one of only two Skyports on Sky, don't be too mean to it. It's been around a lot longer than any of you have, that's for sure," argued Captain Jessi.
But the Clear Sky Skyport was only a remnant of what it had once been. Only a few remaining shards of rusted steel had been left lingering beneath the weight of time. The rest had been reconstructed with white planks of wood fashioned as girders and beams to hold up the weight of the anchored ships.
It did not take long for them to reach the white wooded docks that spiralled up along the jutting pillar of stone looming over the city. From the edge of each dock there stood an extended gangplank that led to each ship. The docks were alive with ship hands moving boxes and objects every which way. Amidst the commotion it was almost too easy to slip by unnoticed. The further they pressed up the docks, the smaller the city of Clear Sky became. Each step found the crowds of dockworkers and crews only growing in number. By the time they were safely lost amidst the bustling Skyport Harmonia took a finally look back. A dozen feet below, on the lower levels of the Skyport, she could see Dibella cursing her lackeys.
"Find them!" Dibella smacked a hard hand across the back of Corporal Stonewall's head. "Do you understand me! Or are you all incompetent? Perhaps there is a group of new conscripts that might do this job better than you worthless lot!"
Harmonia tried her best to stick close to Ro who had grabbed on to the back of Jessi's jacket as they continued, "No, no, no, they're getting closer. We have to hurry!"
"Don't rush me kid!" shouted Jessi. "No amount of words or worrying can help us right now."
The crowd had seemed to only grow thicker and thicker the further they went up the spiralling docks. Almost all of the workers hustling and bustling to meet their deadlines seemed just as hollow as the workers left behind in the town of Mine. It was starting to become more evident that the Corporations did not care what happened to any of these people. All that mattered was that shipments were met, that goods were acquired, and that things were always profitable for them and them alone.
It was something Harmonia could remember her grandpa mentioning when she had still been a young girl: The Corporations work on a policy that keeps one end of the stick in the mud so the other can remain clean. Only now was she beginning to understand the society of Sky. Everyone was worked to the bone, and too tired to think of anyway out of their place at the bottom. What none of them had ever realized was that the only way to change it all was simply to take the stick out of the mud, to stop believing that this was the only way things had to be.
A sign of hope emerged as a familiar set of red sails came into view from around the pillar, "There she is kids! And doesn't she look glorious!"
The S.S. Time looked even worse from up close than it had from the ground. This was a ship that had seen better years, and undoubtedly suffered through worse ones as well. One of the masts was tilted on a slight angle, the topsails had numerous stitches holding them together, and even the wood that composed the hull seemed rotted and starting to decay. All in all, Harmonia knew none of that mattered at this point. It was either step onboard or suffer the throes of a world she no longer believed in.
Jessi was the first to arrive at the foot of the gangplank where a much older man, with a round belly, sat soaking in the sun. A jolly smile erupted as he saw his companions, "Ah and so arrives our infamous Captain, with what looks like two new guests who will be gracing us on wherever the solar winds may take us next."
"Airlande, don't get started. Now's not the time for philosophical mumbo-jumbo!" shouted Jessi. "We've got a bit of a welcoming party behind us. Good old Dibella as always!"
"Dibella!?" exclaimed Airlande, "How did you get on her bad side this time?"
"She's always angry, all we have to do is fly by to get on her bad side. She'd probably just accuse us of stealing her shade," Jessi could barely breath let alone speak. "We'll have plenty of time to talk later and make introductions. We just need to get off this rock, now! So less talking, more raising sails, turning on machines, really anything would work."
Airlande suddenly jumped to attention in a panic, "Yes Captain. Of course! I'll just...."
Before the jolly older crewmate, with tinges of grey in his hair and burly beard, could commence preparations, Grumbler suddenly came dashing out from amongst the bustling docks. Without so much as stopping he was the first to race up the gangplank before stopping on the other side to happily greet the others. Jessi did not waste any more time rushing Ro and Harmonia onto the other side. Once onboard, the two identical boys appeared.
The twins had hardly noticed Jessi as she shouted her orders, "Brandon...Brendan....no time to appreciate the view. We have to go!"
The two boys only looked at each other, sharing a mutual moment of confusion due to their lack of understanding.
Jessi only snapped back a second time, "Dibella is on our tail. We're all going to get thrown into a prison somewhere on Sky, and you two will be fighting for the Corporations soon. Now, does that sound more appealing than getting this ship into the air?"
Each only shook their head. They immediately put a halt to their moderately entertaining solution to their boredom. In unison they began to pull in the ropes that kept the ship anchored. As Airlande and the twins rushed about, Jessi still held her cool and walked up to the bridge where a woman with beautiful violet eyes stood stoically awaiting her arrival.
"Sariaha. I hope everything is in order with the new inertial dampener that was just installed. Because I am just going to assume that it is already done, or else we're not leaving this rock. I bet Dibella would just love that," sarcastically joked Jessi.
"It has been fixed to the best of our abilities. There was some talk about having to take another day to retrofit the primitive replacement we found on this planet. I don't understand why we couldn't have done this when we were back on...." Sariaha was cut short.
"Bah! Don't start with hypothetical if's and maybe's, it is what it is. Hey kid, the one with the crazy hair. Ro...Ra...whatever your name is!" shouted Jessi.
"It's Ro, well it's actually...." it was Ro's turn to be cut short.
"I don't care kid! I really don't. You really as good at fixing things as you claim to be?" asked the Captain as she busily flipping switches while the rest of her crew lowered the last of the furled sails.
Ro paused for a moment, both shocked and excited by the question, "Well, I don't want to brag, but I happen to have a very extensive book on ship maintenance from the private libraries back in the Capital. If whatever you need is in there, then I might be able to manage."
"Good enough," Jessi had stepped off the bridge as she inspected their last preparations. "Head down to engineering, our mechanic is already down there. And don't worry if he doesn't say much back, he's mute. He'll understand everything but can't answer."
Ro was still excited by the idea of working below, "Really? You want me to go down and work on your ship? A real ship?!"
"Yep, and you can appreciate your childhood dreams come true later on. Just go! If you can find the inertial dampener we just have to make sure we can repel Sky's gravitational pull. No big. Think you can handle that?"
Ro immediately jumped to attention, answering the way he had heard crew's back in the Capital, "Aye, aye Captain!"
All the while Harmonia was still gazing back at the dock as Brandon and Brendan began pulling in the anchors that had kept them from floating away from the Skyport. Even from around the bend of the spiralling dock, Dibella and her minions could be seen clearing the bustling crowd. No one protested as they raised their one shooters into the air demanding to be let through on important business for the Corporations. There must have been more than a dozen from amongst the dispersing crowd that wanted nothing more than to throw the cruel woman off the edge, but their fear kept them in check, and soon Dibella was upon them. Luckily the twins had already raised the gangplank which forced their pursuers to stop at the edge of the dock with only miles of open air between the hunters and their prey.
"Captain Jessi!" declared Dibella. "This is your last chance to surrender. Your ship, your sails, and your location have all been reported back to headquarters. Soon there will be more than a dozen patrols tirelessly searching for your whereabouts. How do you expect to leave our atmosphere with all of our guns pointed in your direction?"
The soldiers all aimed their one shooters on cue from their superior. Each was as eager as the next to pull the trigger and rain a shower of steel on the old wooden ship.
"Well!" started Captain Jessi. "You know, with a little bit of luck, and banking on the usual incompetence of the Corporations, I'd say we'll stick with the escape plan. Plus, I really wouldn't look all that flattering in the brownish-red uniforms you all wear. It's just not my color, you know!"
Dibella did not answer them a second time as she raised her hand high into the air. All of the one shooter's readied to fire as Bird suddenly appeared circling their heads. It began whirling and swirling about Dibella and her minions. Curses were flung about every which way amidst the wild commotion. Almost all of them became distracted, some swatting at the red feathered skylark, others aiming their one shooters only to find their bullets meeting the empty air.
Harmonia could only watch as they tried to put down the last bird from Sky, none realizing the repercussions of their actions. Yet as she looked on with her apprehensive fear, the ship suddenly began to move. The S.S. Time started at a slow speed as it glided away from the white wooded docks of the Skyport. It was not until they had managed to face the wooden ship away from the rocky pillar that it quickly took off with a greater speed than she had imagined. Harmonia could hardly remain planted on her feet.
The moment Time was off Bird came flying back only to land on Harmonia's shoulder, "Chirp, cheep-cheep, chirrup!"
Then came the sound of the one shooters discharging their rounds in unison. A few stray bullets grazed the sides of the ship, but they were already too far away from the Skyport. They were finally free of Dibella. Even from afar, it was easy to see she was fuming at the fact that the notorious Captain Jessi had escaped her clutches yet again.
However, Harmonia's gaze was fixed on someone else, the boy she had known as Edward. There was no bitterness or display of anger as Corporal Stonewall stared back towards the escaping crew of the S.S. Time. Of all the lackeys sent from the Corporations Corporal Stonewall was the only one who had not been left in a frenzy. Although it may have only been her imagination, but in the face of their growing distance, she could almost feel their eyes connect. For Harmonia, despite all of his trickery, the boy had been the closest thing to genuine love she had felt in quite some time. And now even that was being left behind. Even though it had just been a silly fantasy, it had still been better than nothing at all.
In that moment, Harmonia could not help but realize a gripping truth. Even the most unrealistic of dreams, the grandest of fantasies, retain a dire hold upon the lives we wish to live. It is somehow those pieces of ourselves, those that only really exist in our imagination, which are the hardest to let go. For to walk for an entire lifetime upon dreams is to forget the world that waits below.
ForHarmonia, just as any other person who lays the foundation of their life uponthe dreams that carry them through, she was not only letting go of thosedreams, but also leaving behind the child that had dreamt them in the firstplace.