The Harder I Swim, the Faster I Sink

Chapter One

Isn't it strange, that the day we leave our home is the day it seems most precious to us? That the day we say goodbye to it forever is the day it is the most beautiful? It is almost as if the place is taunting is, tempting us to stay, like it doesn't want us to leave. Like a person who dresses up in hopes that their partner will stay if they look nice enough. In all of these scenarios, we leave anyway. So it is in real life. We leave regardless of the tempting allure of our home, because we seek adventure, and because the burn of curiosity is too much for us to bear.

So it was with Laika the elf as she stood on the balcony of her home, staring at the rising sun. The yellow globe had just cleared the horizon, and it cast a glow over the treetops, filtering down through the branches to hit the forest floor in shafts of golden light. The birds began chirping, cicadas buzzed, and doors began to open and close as the people woke up. A cool dawn breeze blew against Laika's face, and she closed her eyes, leaning into it and breathing deep. She opened her eyes and leaned back, eyes sparkling. It was good to be alive.

Laika cast her gaze over the city, over the trees which seemed like trees and were much more. To any outsider, the trees would just look like normal redwoods. But to Laika, and all the people in her city, they were much more than that. She knew that the gigantic redwoods were hollow and that people lived in them, using the trees like natural skyscrapers. To an outsider, her city would look like a nature preserve. To her, it looked like a bustling modern city.

As the sun ascended, the city came alive. People stepped out onto their porches, affixed wings to their arms, and glided gracefully down to the forest floor. The wings were a wonderful invention: all one had to do was attach the wing-shaped strips of cloth to your arms, and then leap off. The fabric would catch the air and let you glide down gently, using the wind currents to steer. Laika noticed one flier detach from the rest and come gliding up gracefully to her balcony and land on the edge.

The flier un-clipped his wings and bowed formally to her. "My lady."

Laika giggled. "Stop it! You know I'm no lady."

The flier looked up. He had chestnut brown hair and long bangs that covered his forehead. He wore the casual attire of an archer, and his bow was slung across his back, the quiver with feathered arrows just peeking over his shoulder. His eyes twinkled merrily as he said with an overblown gallant attitude, "You will always be a lady to me."

Laika rolled her eyes with a smile. "How have you been, Ayden?"

The flier, Ayden, shrugged. "All right. Captain Snyder's had us on the go a lot, but I don't mind. I like it. Gives me a sense of purpose, you know?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Say, what are you doing today? I only have until noon."

"Why?"

She stared at him like he was crazy. "Why do you think, bozo? I'm leaving for Palatine today!"

"What? But I thought that was next week!"

"It was, but they changed it. I'm really sorry, Ayden. I know you had planned a lot of stuff for us to do, but I just don't have time."

He looked crestfallen. "So you're leaving today?"

"Yes."

Ayden took a moment to digest that. Then he perked up. "Well, if we can't do all I planned over the course of a week, we'll just have to squeeze it into one day! Come on."

"Ayden, I don't think —" she began, but he was already putting his wings back on. He tossed hers over.

"Come on! It'll be fun. Put on your wings and let's go."