A Lost Ghost

Chapter 12: Dreams And Nightmares

I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. My mind keeps running on an unstoppable loop. It would go back and forth between Matrix, Dice, the crash, Akio. Matrix, Dice, the crash, Akio. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. I sigh and sit up, rubbing my eyes. I glance over at the clock. 3AM. I shake my head as I stand and turn on the light. I run my fingers through my survival vest, organizing and going over what's in there. My head whips towards the door as it creaks open. Daiyu smiles and waves at me. She has two video game joysticks in one hand and two empty soda cans in the other. I glance over at the clock again and then back at her.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" I say, "You know your mom is gonna flip if she finds you in here."

She giggles and holds out the cans and joysticks.

"Play pilot?" she asks. My eyes furrow. She sets the cans and joysticks on the floor. She sits down in front of the joystick and looks up at me with that happy gaze. I finally see what she means. The joystick and the soda cans are placed perfectly, representing the flight stick and throttle. Girl knows her stuff. "Play pilot?" she asks again.

Why not? I can't sleep anyway, and I'm way past caring if Mei-Xing screams at me. I've kinda gotten used to it by now. I smile and sit down next to her. She gasps, her brows shooting towards the ceiling as if she forgot something. She jumps up and runs over to my nightstand. She grabs my helmet, puts it on, and then sits down next to me. I chuckle. I still don't understand her fascination with my helmet.

"Alright," I start, "so first we're gonna do our walk around check."

I glance around the room, pointing at random things and pretending to inspect my jet. Daiyu does the same, watching intently and doing the exact same moves as me. I face her and salute.

"You're ready to go, Ma'am."

She smiles, lifts her chin, and puffs out her chest as she salutes back.

"Good," she says. We both pretend to climb up into the jet. She raises her hands in the sky and makes a whooshing sound with her mouth as she slowly drops them. I think she's pretending to close the canopy. I do the same, and she smiles at me.

"Alright, so now you gotta turn on your right engine."

I pretend to flick a switch. She does the same. I look down and, grab the empty soda can and push it up slightly. "Put your jet in the idle position."

She pushes the empty can up slightly and looks up at me with those bright eyes. I pretend to flick another switch. "Turn on the left engine."

She does the same. I grab the joystick and move it back and forth, up and down. "Gotta check the flaps."

She giggles as she moves the joystick around. I push the can forward. "Afterburner on?"

She grabs her can and moves it up.

"On!" she says. I smile at her and salute. She salutes back.

"Now, we gotta do the hangten sign."

I put up the sign and wiggle my hand back and forth. Her eyes narrow as she stares at my hand. She closes her fists and slowly sticks out her pinky and thumb. She laughs as she holds it up to me. I smile and nod.

"Alright. You ready, squirt?"

She gives me a thumbs up.

"Ready!"

I throw my head back, pretending to hold on for dear life as my jet flies forward. Daiyu laughs and does the same, moving the joystick back and forth. She points towards the ceiling and screams something out. I look up and gasp.