Downdraft

There was a terrible accident at the New Zefport Science Academy today. Don’t worry, it didn’t happen on earth, some other place. They were experimenting with a new form of energy production involving the removal and use of heat energy. The experiment was actually a terrific success, it just had some unexpected consequences. Thousands of tons of oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen upon having 99.999999999% of the heat removed from their molecular structures entered a super-fluid state. The condensates ignored gravity and rose rapidly into the atmosphere,  even up into outer space for a time. Upon reversion back into gaseous form, the cold dense gasses came crashing back down through the atmosphere creating a series of very serious downdrafts. The winds near the epicenters exceeded the speed of sound by hundreds of miles per hour.

The destruction caused by the heavy winds was horrific, particularly in cities caught within close proximity to the air-bursts. There were however a few small groups of thrill seekers who managed to catch the ride of their lives. A hand full of surfers caught and survived a wave that crossed over an entire continent over the course of a few hours. Another group of hang gliders became the first on the planet to break the speed of sound while almost completely exposed to the elements. A few motorcyclists found themselves significantly air-born, several yards above ground, for durations of minutes at a time.

Wind Wizard

It was an ordinary class field trip, a hike through the mountains for biology and history. Little Benji was horsing around with little Nola, on a small trail near the top of a waterfall. Little Nola accidentally made Benji lose his footing. Benji fell.

Benji woke up in a hospital bed. His parents were there. The nurse said that he was the first person in the county to survive a fall from that high up.

That night, Benji dreams of the water fall. He dreams that the reason why he lived was because the air around him cradled him like a pair of gentle arms.

Two years later, Benji attempts to beat Brock Lee (his parents had a horrible sense of humor) at a swing jumping competition. The entire class is gathered around the swing set. Tammy Turnly is taking measurements with measuring tape.

Brock jumps first. He almost makes it all the way to the pavement. The children gasp in awe. Benji ignores the sea of murmurs and attempts to concentrate. He lets himself relax completely. His entire being becomes the ebbing force of the swing as it moves down and back and up. His hair is a fiery black flurry around his face.

He flings himself into the air. The air feels like water to him and it propels him upwards and outwards, over Brock Lee’s boggled face, past the four square lines, and onto the basketball court. Benji can hear the cheering children and can feel them running up to him, but he is preoccupied. He has latched onto something incredible and he doesn’t want to lose it. It feels like that moment during a dream when you realize you are dreaming. You know that if you can just hold on to that knowledge you will be all powerful in that sleeping world. But it is hard to hold onto, easy to forget.

Benji runs toward the wall ball wall. He comes at it from an angle, jumps, feels his feet scrape against it as he gains momentum, jumps off of the top corner with all of his might and glides into the wind. Benji flies.

Benji spends every hour of every day of every week of every month of the next year mastering his abilities. He learns run with incredible speed. He learns to control pressure and temperature. He learns how to hold solid forms with nothing but thick air. Benji becomes a master of wind energy. He powers entire cities. He travels the world. Benji is the wind wizard.

Spirit Sonata

There was once a stream of harmonies played. The players were influenced by great genius. The melodies intertwined in such perfection that they created a sentient being out of the very medium that the music traveled through.

On windy days, if you listen very carefully, you may hear that sonata yourself. It may even play with your hair and kiss your ears as it dances by.