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Chapter 2
Kit was sick, sick of being in the same orphanage, sick of being treated like dirt because he had been there so long, just plain sick of life. He wondered why life was so cruel to him. His parents had been killed when he was only three and his Aunt Martina wasn't able to take him in. He hadn't heard from her since. He just wanted to break free. Just get out of the orphanage and face life on his own.
"Cloudkicker," an angry voice called. "Front and center!"
"Yes, Mrs. Tropbottom?" Kit put on a sweet act, knowing how much the orphanage headmistress hated him.
"Bathroom duty! On the double! I heard about that little stunt you pulled this morning."
Kit shuddered remembering it. He has snuck out of the orphanage early before anyone else was up. He had stayed up late into the night planning how to get out. Packing his duffle bag, he had left without a sound through the window in his large room he shared. As he climbed down the tree and out the fence he silently celebrated his escape to freedom. He ran down a dark alley, silently praying it was safe. It was safe besides the back door to Gamblin' Barney's Bar & Club. He hoped no one would come out as he ran past. When he just got past the door he slowed to a walk. Instantly he knew that was a bad idea. The door was slammed open and a large man carrying a bag of trash came out humming to himself. Having no where to hide, Kit ducked as low as he could go. It was too late though. The large man, being Barney, the owner himself, spotted him.
"Hey kid, whatcha doin' out this time of night?" Barney eyed the kid skeptically.
"Ehh…just going for a walk sir." Kit trembled as he replied.
"At this time of night? You one of them orphans ain't cha?"
"No," Kit shot back rather fast and then took off in a run.
"Come back here!! "Ole Barney will get ya!"
Kit ran and ran but was no match for Barney who had a longer leg stride than him. Catching him, Barney grabbed Kit by the neck and dragged him back to the orphanage. The night duty nurse saw them and let them in, sending Kit straight to his room. The nurse, named Janessa, had a soft spot for Kit. She remembered the day he was brought in as a scared little 3 year old with little to say. She had watched him grow up into a small, yet fast and smart boy. He also tried to be tough, but she could see he was still a scared young boy. She thanked Barney for bringing him back and went back to her office. She didn't want to tell Headmistress Tropbottom about it, but she knew if she didn't she could lose her job. That was the only job she could find in Maca Laca, and she couldn't afford to lose it. She told the Headmistress the next morning. She told her not to be too hard on him.
"Cloudkicker are you listening?!"
Kit was snapped back into reality with Mrs. Tropbottom question. "Yes, ma'am I am," he replied sharply.
"Good. Now get to the bathrooms right away and no dinner tonight!"
Kit scurried off to the bathroom with a plan.
Kit decided he would do the same thing he did the night before, but take a different route. This time he wasn't leaving just to get out of the orphanage…he was leaving Maca Laca too. He figured he would take a long route to get to Maca Laca's small airfield and then catch a midnight flight out of there.
At 11:15pm, after all the doors were locked and the children and adults were asleep, Kit climbed out his window. He squeezed between the fence and ran down the street.
Just as he approached Maca Laca's Airfield, he whipped a small folded up piece of metal out of his bag. With a quick flick of the wrist it was opened into a crescent shape. He kept on running and entered the airfield at 11:55. Looking around he didn't seem to see the midnight flight he planned to take. Away in the corner of the field he saw a small plane and pilot. He ran up to it, hoping it wouldn't leave before he got there. He skidded to a stop before the plane and just stood there, unsure of what to do next.
"You okay there son?" A burly pilot walked around from the other side of the plane.
"I was looking for a ride out of here actually," Kit put on a sweet face and smile for the pilot, "could I get a lift with you?"
"Well the problem is," the pilot scratched his head, "is that I only have one seat in my plane here."
"Do you have a tow rope?" Kit asked, bewildering the pilot.
"Sure do. But what do you need a tow rope for? You're not planning on flying outside tied to the plane are ya?" The pilot asked the question with a hint on humor in his voice.
"No, but I have this board, which I use for riding behind on," Kit replied anxiously.
"Hmm…cloudsurfing…is that what that's called? I knew two amazing cloudsurfers. They were killed a few year back though in a crash. The engine gave out and they crashed to the ground. Two wonderful people. No one will ever forget Cecilia and Brandon. Best cloudsurfers I'd ever seen." The pilot smiled at Kit. "Well, we better be off now."
The pilot climbed into the plane and Kit grabbed the tow rope.
The plane took off smoothly. Kit held on and stared into the night sky. He thought about what the pilot said. Cecilia and Brandon. Two best cloudsurfers…
It went off in his head like a bomb. Cecilia and Brandon were his mom and dad! He hadn't thought about it in so long, but he remembered they were ace pilots and performers. He inherited the board from his dad and learned to use it on a midnight run to the airfield. He used to go out all the time just to watch the planes. He wouldn't have known if the pilot hadn't said anything. At least he knew his parents names. That added to the little information he did know.
A few hours later the plane landed in New Fedora and Kit jumped off. He quickly thanked the pilot and was on his way. He didn't know where he was going, but he decided he'd know when he got to it.