Shot Down
(SOTI, a sequel to One-way Glass and Question)
There was nothing but stunned silence as the first fatal breath of fresh air flowed into the Inc.
The window was open. The glass had fallen like a deadly crystal rain on the ground below when it smashed, glittering in the setting sun.
The music had stopped, all speech, all sound in the universe frozen as the patrons of the Inc looked at the guilty party.
It was a small girl. Her being so small made the fact that she had just picked up a speaker and smashed it through the window seem even more unbelievable.
"Aishi!" called out a voice.
Noodle came running towards her.
"EVERYONE RISE UP!" Aishi was yelling. "EVERYONE LIBERATE YOURSELF FROM THE TORMENT OF CAPTIVITY!"
For once, her voice could be heard clearly. There was no pounding bass to obscure it, no heavy drumbeat knocking it aside.
"WE CAN BREAK FREE FROM HERE!"
Free. The word was enticing. Everything sounds good when the word 'free' is used.
"What is this all about?" called a deep voice. The drummer dropped his drumsticks with a suspicious glare at her.
"The island is here," she whispered. "The island has arrived."
Noodle gasped and looked at her fellow teen as if to say, 'really?' to which Aishi nodded, smiling softly.
Sure enough, outside the sound of the windmill's turning could be heard.
Once the island had been anchored to the window, it was simply a matter of everyone climbing on, one by one. Noodle directed the flow of people, until the island held all it could and there was no room.
Some were left behind. Some just refused to come- the idea of freedom too terrifying, the idea of independence too menacing. They were institutionalized like prisoners with a life sentence who finally gain parole. Others, there was just no space for. (1)
Among them was Aishi.
"Please! Come with us!" Noodle begged.
"I'll go in the next batch," Aishi said sadly. "I want to leave room for another person. I know you'll be back."
"If she ain't going', I ain't goin'," a voice boomed and the drummer stepped off the grassy island.
"I can't leave you lot 'ere by yourselves," a sad voice said and they were joined by the blue-haired one, the one who had stared out the window so longingly.
There was a long moment of silence before the drummer put a comforting arm around his shoulder.
"What about Murdoc?" Noodle said carefully.
"He never wanted to leave." Aishi answered. "Leave him here."
Noodle took a long look at the tower. "Good riddance," she finally said before turning to the escapees.
"Everyone, inside the windmill." She smiled. "As of today we are making our escape."
A loud cheer spread through the people as they raised their arms into the air, because the future seemed bright.
As the island took off, the three standing at the window waved until it was a tiny dot on the horizon, because it finally seemed like things would resolve happily.
Nobody noticed the helicopters tailing the island.
Well! It's been a bit but here it is: the next chapter of Stories of the Island and the next chapter (possibly the last) of Aishi's little story. Poor, poor Aishi. Through this mini-trilogy her intentions have always been good but things get worse and worse. Even her last act of heroism in this story ended up making someone suffer more. I suppose it's me trying to be different, to have a hero who (even though she tries) ends up ruining the day rather than saving it and having everything resolve all nice and happy. I don't like happy endings. As it is I think that I have very few REAL happy endings in here, except for maybe Siren Song.
This story is smack-dab between El Manana and FGI, and it makes a nice theory don't you think? I guess it sounds like a good enough reason for the island to be shot down. I trailed off at the end leaving it in a sort of cliffhanger because we all know how things end. By the way, I have this symbol here (1) to say something. I watched Shaw shank Redemption recently for English, and I thought about something- why a rebellion in the Inc might not work. What does everyone thing, should I write an alternate ending to this story? I like the thought of that.
I'm entering SOTI in the G-play fan fiction contest! I hope it has a chance! I get the feeling it'll be the only one of its kind amongst a lot of OC-2D romances…… And that some people aren't' put off by its attempt at being philosophical! Anyways, this A/N is becoming longer than the actual story, so I'll leave things here. Next up will be something a little different. JA NE! DAISUKE!
Child of the Thirteenth Sign
