Fly

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It is dark, it looks like it's night but everything is black. I can see lights, lots of different lights and many colors. I can't make out the lights. I don't know what they are or where they're coming from. Suddenly, I see stars. They're bright and so many of them. There's so many stars, it's . . . it's beautiful. I'm moving, no it's like I'm traveling . . . I'm-I'm flying. I'm going fast, so fast. I can feel the wind in my hair. It's a feeling like no other. The stars and the lights, they're everywhere. I can see everything, it's becoming clear. I'm flying fast. The stars are so much clearer. I'm beginning to see the lights and I hear . . . what is that? My breath?! I just got the breath knocked out me! Now I'm falling and falling fast. Why am I falling? I was just flying, how can I fall? Everything's getting hot. I'm falling from the stars. The lights are fading away. Why can't I fly back up to the stars? I don't want to fall. Everything's so hot-

-----

Starvos rises from his bed in a hot sweat. He looks around to realize he is in one of the dormitory rooms of the Hargrave Biotech Mansion. His dream, it wasn't a dream at all, it was his memory. He was from the stars and in the stars before he fell. Starvos knew this is where he wanted to go back to. Starvos quickly dresses and exits his room.

Sage and Gia enter the laboratory where Merrick is studying over the two halves of the droid from yesterday.

"She's all moved in," Sage tells him.

"Finally," Gia scoffs.

"What could you complain about?" Sage asks her with a smile on his face, "you didn't have to move anything, physically."

"I just think we're taking a risk taking in these two-" she stops as Starvos enters the lab.

"Good morning, Starvos," Merrick greets him, still looking over the droid, "sleep well?"

"I think I began to remember something," Starvos casually announces.

"Did you have a memory or a dream?" Gia asks cynically.

"Both," Starvos answers, "I think it came to me in a dream."

"What did you remember?" Sage asks.

"It wasn't much," Starvos admits, "but I think I started to remember falling from the stars." Gia rolls her eyes.

"Any part of a memory is better than no memory," Merrick says while still studying the android, "why don't the three you have breakfast on the deck this morning?"

"That would be great," Sage agrees. He leads the two of them back out on the second story deck, where a cook shortly brings them breakfast. They begin eating and Gia notices Starvos speed while eating.

"For someone who says he came from the stars, you eat like any other starving person," Gia says.

"Oh, sorry," Starvos purposefully slows down, "I'm just really hungry."

"No one can know for sure how long ago you ate before we found you the other night," Sage tells them.

"I think it requires a lot of energy to fly," Starvos tells them, "and even if it doesn't, I'll need it for what have to do."

"What do you have to do?" Gia asks.

"Get back to the stars-I mean go home," Starvos tells them, "I've got to find a way to get back up there."

"Where at up there?" Gia asks with skepticism, "do you even know what star or planet you may be from? What if you didn't even come from a planet, what if you're from here?"

"Gia," Sage softly scolds her.

"Listen, you just can't fly up to the sky and be home," Gia tells him.

"I can find it when I'm there," Starvos calmly replies, "I know I can."

"Don't mind, her," Sage tried to intervene, "she's got an attitude that's more rough than most, which isn't at all like her looks."

"Don't you even," she warns Sage.

"I think it's time we take our dishes downstairs," Sage suggests, standing up.

"Allow me," Gia hatefully says and quickly snatches their dishes and leaves. Starvos stands and walks over to the railing. He leans against it and stares out into the distance.

"She really means well," Sage leans against the railing beside of him, "and I would know."

"It's okay," Starvos tells him, still staring out into the distance, "what is that tall tower, out there?"

"The Aster Tower?" Sage questions him, "that big one with all of the satellites on top?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Starvos answers him, "that one."

"It's called the Aster Tower, it was built to touch the stars," Sage tells him.

"I bet you can see the stars great from up there," Starvos adds, again staring at it.

"The stars, the clouds, the heavens," Sage adds, "would you like to go there today?"

"We can go there?" Starvos asks.

"Sure," Sage replies, "Gia and I are going to run a few errands in town for Merrick, so I am sure we can stop by, if you want to come?"

"Yes, please," Starvos's face lights up.

"Great, it's a plan," Sage tells him, "I'm sure Merrick will want to talk to you before you leave, but first I think there's someone else you should see."

Sage leads Starvos to the first floor and instructs him to go into the fifth door on the left. Starvos enters just as Reya turns around and sees him.

"Hi," she greets him softly.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Starvos asks her.

"I'm the new intern," she smiles softly, "I hope I didn't get you in trouble yesterday."

"You didn't, far from it," Starvos tells her, "Sage said I should come say hi."

"I'm glad," she tells him, "Sage seems like a great guy, he helped me move in this morning."

"I think he is," Starvos agrees, "He's going to take me to the Aster Tower, later."

"Oh?" Reya asks, "what's at the Aster Tower?"

"A map, I hope," Starvos tells her, "so I can find my way home."

"Starvos," she turns to him.

"I know it sounds odd," Starvos tells her, "but I feel like you somehow could understand me. I don't know why and if you think I'm-" Starvos begins.

"Never," Reya tells him.

"I fell from the stars," Starvos confesses to her, "that's where I'm from and that's my home. I've got to get up there to it."

"How do you plan on getting back up there?" Reya asks him.

"Well, I think I had a memory this morning," Starvos tells her, "or part of one. Everything's still so blurry, but I was in the stars and I was flying. It was so real, I could feel the wind. Everyone thinks people can't fly, but since I've been here, we all know people can do things no one would believe. That's why I think I can fly, I just know that I can."

"Starvos that's great," she jumps into his arms, giving him a big hug. Surprised by the reaction, Starvos stills smiles and hugs her back. The feeling has hit him again, the feeling of familiarity and comfort. He can't place it, but every time he sees her, she resonates safety and all things that are good. Reya quickly jumps back from him, realizing what she has just done. "I'm so sorry," she quickly apologizes.

"It's okay," Starvos smiles at her, " it's nice to know that someone else actually believes me."

"Is that the only thing you remember?" she asks him.

"Yes," he admits, "but I know now that it's only a matter of time."

"Starvos," she calls out, "what if you found someone that knew who you really were, someone that could tell you about your life before you fell? Would you want them to tell you?"

Starvos studies her for a minute, then answers her; "no." He walks over to the nearest window and peers out of it. "If someone else tells me who I was-who I am, then I'm subject to be the person they want me to be. They could make me anyone they want and I'd never know. I could never allow all the power to one person. I already had one memory. I have no doubt that I can regain the rest."

"I see," she turns back and goes to work. He pauses as she begins to work in silence.

"I'll see you later," Starvos tells her, before he leaves.

-----

Winston has returned to the wooded area where Starvos fell for two nights ago. There are now newscasters set up all around and in the crater where he found Starvos. He approaches one of the reporters.

"Excuse me," she says to him in a harsh tone, "we're about to go live, you'll have to leave the premises. If you wait by the road, I might give you an autograph."

"I'm not here for an autograph," Wintson tells her, "I came to give you the story of your life. If you want breaking news, I've got it, or I can go to another one of these reporters and give them the scoop."

"Listen kid, if this doesn't have anything to do with the falling star, I'm not interested," she tells him.

"I can't tell you what fell," Winston tells her, "but I can tell you who it is, his name and where he's staying."

"Right this way, sir," the newscaster leads him.

----- 

Sage leads Gia and Starvos out onto the roof of the Aster Tower. Starvos looks around, enamored like a little kid in a candy store.

"Here we are," Sage tells them. Starvos immediately walks over to the ledge.

"I don't see what so special about a rooftop," Gia says aloud.

"It's . . ." Starvos begins.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Sage asks, trying to finish his sentence.

"It's still so far away," Starvos tells him, "we're up so high, yet the sky is still so far away. I need to come back when the stars out." Gia let's out a noticeable sigh at the remark.

"They just don't let anyone come up here, Starvos," Sage explains, "they only let me bring you up here as a personal favor to me."

"It closes at night, so you're out of luck," Gia adds in her annoyed tone.

"But I can feel the wind," Starvos says.

"That's why they call it a tower," Sage says with a small laugh, "it towers in the sky."

"It feels . . ." Starvos begins.

"I like how you can see the entire city and countryside," Sage gazes over the ledge, having interrupted Starvos without hearing him. "look, there's the manor."

"Are we ready to go yet?" Gia asks.

"Do you remember the first time I brought you up here?" he asks her.

"I'm leaving," she informs him and begins to walk away.

"Believe it or not, some of us have nice memories up here," Sage loudly calls to her, then turns back to Starvos, "what do you think, Starvos?"

"This wind, it feels almost like how I was flying in my dream," he tells Sage.

"Well, don't do something crazy like jump on me," Sage jokes, "that'd be insane."

"Who needs to jump when you can fly?" Starvos asks.

"Come on, let's get you back to the mansion," Sage tells him, "the city shuts down at night because of the night creatures."

----- 

That evening, Merrick has called Sage and Gia into the laboratory in a private meeting.

"We knew this would probably happen," Merrick tells the, "Meyhew isn't going to give up until he gets what he wants."

"So he sent the droids to capture Starvos?" Sage asks.

"No," Merrick replies," I don't think they were sent to capture him, per say, not yet anyway."

"Because they tried to destroy him, right?" Sage asks.

"They destroy anything they can't recognize," Gia adds in her monotone voice.

"They got exactly what they came for," Merrick tells them, "Intel. They only came to spy and I believe they got exactly what they wanted: Starvos in action. We may need to start work on him much earlier than we've anticipated."

"We can't," Sage protests, "he doesn't even remember anything about himself. What if he becomes too dangerous to us or worse himself?"

"How is himself worse than us?" Gia asks.

"Uh oh," Sage looks down to a computer monitor, "this could be more trouble." He turns on a large screen to the local news.

-----

The sun has began to set and Reya appears in Strarvos's doorway, that leads to his bedroom. She sees him putting on a small, black jacket, dressing as if he's going out.

"Starvos," she calls in. He turns around to her and stops what he's doing.

"Hey," he greets her.

"Are you going out?" she asks him.

"No," he answers, "well, yes, but I'm just going to the roof. Just to . . . think things over."

"Is this about your memory?" Reya asks.

"Yeah," Starvos answers, "today I felt the wind like I felt in my memory. It felt like I could fly at any moment if I wanted and it told me that I'm not-"

"You're not crazy, Starvos," Reyas tries to comfort him, "would you mind if I go to the roof with you?" Starvos looks down and smiles;

"Sure," he tells her, "there's a back way I discovered so you don't have to cut through the lab. If you want to head on up, I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Okay," Reya's face lights up leads her back out of the door.

"Second to last door on the left," he points to her. Reya gleefully follows his instructions and as soon as she is out of sight, Starvos darts around the corner, in the opposite direction and down the large staircase. He turns back to look and sees no one. "Sorry, Reya," he says in a whisper. He slides out of the door and quickly darts of sight.

Reya steps out onto the roof, looking up at the sky. It is a clear night and the stars shine bright. She gazes up into the night.

----- 

Inside the laboratory, Merrick, Sage and Gia watch the local news.

"Breaking news," the newscaster speaks into a microphone to the camera, "I'm Anna Bone Viche, standing here with the first man to come upon the falling the star. This is Mr.-"

"Call me Winston," Winston interrupts her.

"Winston," Anna corrects herself, slightly annoyed, "you say you were first to arrive and see the falling star?"

"Yes, I was on route, doing my job as a transportation specialist for M.G Inc," Winston begins his story, "and I saw the crash. So, I immediately hopped out to see if anyone was hurt."

"I'm sure that's exactly what he was doing," Gia comments sarcastically.

"When I saw the crater I just knew that it had come from space," Winston continues.

"And please, tell us and everyone watching at home, what was it that you saw?" Anna asks, "there has been speculation that it was a crashed space ship, a meteor and most popular, a falling star."

"It wasn't any of those things," Winston tells them, "it was a person, a guy. He's a young guy, kind of like me-"

"You've heard it here, first folks," Anna speaks to the camera again, stay tune for more details, in just a moment.

"Unbelievable," Merrick says aloud, "we should have expected something like this from him."

"He has to watch himself," Sage says, "MG isn't going to be so happy with this either."

"We're back," Anna is back on the screen with Winston, "Mr. Winston has just told the world that the falling star was actually a person. Did you actually speak with him?"

"Yes, I did, Anna," Winston tells her, "he can speak English very well, but he must have amnesia or something because the only thing he could tell me about himself is that he fell from the stars."

"Wow, so he was a real life falling star?" Anna asks.

"I wholeheartedly believe he was," Winston plays up the camera, "and his name is Starvos, at least that's what they call him- the people that took him."

"They? Did you recognize the organization that apprehended him" Anna asks, "who's they?"

"Merrick and his henchman Sage from the Hargrave Biotech Institute," Winston explains, "they viscously attacked us as we defended ourselves from night creatures."

"And tells us why they-at least why you think, they would do that?" Anna probes him.

"Because they want his power," Winston answers.

----- 

On the roof, a half hour has passed now. Reya looks at her watch and realizes too much time has elapsed.

"Starvos, where are you?" she asks herself, "where could you be?" She has flashback to this morning when Starvos told her he was flying in his memory, then when he was going to the Aster Tower and then to when he told her he's looking for a map home, and finally to earlier when he told her he was going to roof when he told her he could fly. "Starvos, no," Reya comes to a sudden realization. She takes off running, through the mansion and down the stairs. She grabs a bicycle and takes off on it.

----- 

In town, at the Aster Tower, Starvos stands atop of it, on the ledge, peering into the night sky.

"I can't listen to what anyone says," he tells himself, "I may not remember anything about but me I do know one thing. I came from the stars and the stars are my home. I have to get back to them and this is the only way." The wind blows through his hair and all around him. "I know I can fly, I can do it," he tells himself, "I just have to be in the right place at the right time."

----- 

In the laboratory, Merrick, Sage, and Gia all watch as Winston finishes telling Anna that Starvos is "being kept" at their institute. Merrick shuts the screen off.

"Your fallen star is now national news," Gia tells them, "and he's just made all of us look like criminals."

"Where is Starvos?" Merrick asks.

"I don't know," Sage answers.

----- 

Through the city and into the night, Reya rushes on the bicycle to make it to the Aster Tower, in time to stop Starvos.

"Oh, Starvos, you can fly and go back to the stars, but not like this," she speaks inside of her head. "I have to-" the bicycle flips over, having hit a bump in the road. Reya screams as she crashes, with the bicycle landing her then rolling to the side. The bump stands up and moans, revealing itself to be a night creature. A hand breaks up through the ground to her right and then to her left. The night creature that wrecked her, staggers near her.

Nearby, above and on the tower, Starvos gazes into the night sky filled with stars.

"I can remember flying in the stars once before," he says aloud, "so I can fly now." He leaps off of the tower, into the sky. For a very brief moment, he is going upwards, then suddenly, he falls. "No, why am I-" he screams as he falls.

End!

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