The Familiar

by Tatiana G. Roces

  “No kidding,” I reply, trying not to panic.

  When we reach the cabin, we catch our breaths, as Alicia greets us exuberantly.

  “Good morning, and welcome to flight school!” Alicia’s golden gaze and ebony hued skin are radiant under the sunlight.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I detect Samir skulking in the back, trying to hide the pastry in his hand as he blends in with the other students. He manages to join us without anyone noticing.

  Alicia ushers us to the balcony. “This is what we fondly refer to as ‘The Nest’,” she says, gesturing at the cabin and surrounding areas.

  “Inside we have flight simulators, a classroom, and a rest area. Here on the ledge is where you will learn how to fly.”

  She looks at us and laughs. “By the petrified looks on your faces, I gather that you’re all terrified by the idea of flying off this cliff… But rest assured that we have all the safety precautions put into place, and you have nothing to fear.”

  She brings us into the cabin interior, which looks shiny and modern despite the cabin-like façade. We walk through a large metal door and inside is a cavernous room filled with machines, which I assume are the flight simulators. There are at least thirty of them, more than enough for all of us.

  Alicia pats one of the simulators fondly. “These babies will be your new best friends for the next week or so. You’ll have to clock in a minimum of ten hours, for some of you maybe even more.” A skinny, freckly-faced girl with wispy blonde hair in the back of the group raises her hand. “Yes, Emilie?”

  “Are there ever any cases where a trainee needs less than the required ten hours?” she asks confidently.

  Alicia raises an eyebrow, looking amused. “Well, surely that’s possible. But for safety’s sake, we believe completing the ten hours is best. Even if some of you naturally excel in flight, there is a lot to be gained by getting additional simulator practice.”

  Emilie seems slightly disappointed, but accepts Alicia’s logic nonetheless.

  “Any more questions before we continue?” The room remains silent, as Alicia expertly climbs onto a machine. “Although this may look kind of awkward, this position is actually closest to the posture of a bird in flight. When you learn to transform into birds, this will feel more natural. The simulator is designed to give you the sensation of near weightlessness. It will also teach you how to deal with changes in weather and any other obstacles you may encounter in the sky.”

  Alicia jumps off and scans the room.

  “Now, I want each of you to pick a machine and do your best to position yourself in it. I’ll come around and make sure you’re strapped in, so you can begin the first phase.”

  Louise and I pick the two simulators closest to the door. I manage to climb on and maneuver my body so I’m situated comfortably even though it doesn’t seem like this machine was built for someone with a frame as petite as mine. I figure out how to adjust the arm and leg sections, so that they can accommodate my shorter limbs.

  Alicia approaches my simulator, eyeing my posture with her penetrating gaze. “Good form, Hazel. I’m glad you were able to find all the necessary adjustments… Let me just fix some of the tension issues, then you can get started.”

  She pulls some levers and presses a few buttons, and when she’s done I feel lighter and my muscles can relax a bit without causing me to fall off the contraption.

  “Okay, now that you’re comfortable, I’ll explain how the simulation works. The majority of the functions are voice activated. So, when you are ready to start, you just have to say Simulation on. If you need to stop it, just say Simulation off. When the exercise begins, your machine will be surrounded by a virtual cloak, which will keep your session isolated. Nobody can see or hear what you’re doing and vice versa, except for me, of course. The first session will last two hours and will entail the basics. After you’re done, you’ll have to rest for an hour in a relaxation chamber. This will prevent your muscles from aching too much the following day. Any questions?”

  I shake my head, eager to get started. “Okay, you may begin then,” she says before walking off to the next student.

  I speak to the simulator, “Simulation on!”

  Almost instantaneously, a holographic orb surrounds the machine, making me feel like I’m inside a bubble. The simulator adjusts itself and shifts my body. When I look down, I see myself as a blackbird resting on a tree branch high up in the sky. The feeling is incredibly realistic and my body seems to move and feel like that of a bird. I take several minutes to test out my movements, just bouncing up and down the branch, and fluttering my wings. When I’m somewhat at ease with the sensation, I test out flying in short bursts, from one branch to another. It’s awkward and I struggle at first, almost misjudging the distances a few times. Though I manage to land on the branches every single time, my attempts are definitely far from graceful.

  I sense my body shifting again, and behind me a light breeze starts to blow. I guess the warm-up has ended and the simulation is forcing me to progress to the next level. My little bird feet push off the branch and my wings spread out, catching the tailwind behind me. It takes me a few minutes to gain back my balance, as I dip high and low. Once I feel the rhythm of the wind behind me I’m able to glide evenly, flapping my wings every so often.

  I finally feel comfortable enough to study the scenery around me. It looks like the English countryside, rolling hills and pastures of green with the occasional woodland and manor house dotting the landscape. The air is cool, but not cold and the vivid blue sky is scattered with puffy white clouds.

  After a while, I feel the breeze changing direction. Instead of an effortless tailwind, it swirls around me, and starts blowing from one side. The change catches me off guard, and I almost tip upside down and nosedive towards the field below. But I’m able to compensate at the last minute so that I glide back up without flipping over. It feels extremely awkward, but I’m able to pull it off.

  Once I finally have the hang of it, I decide to take a break, not wanting to deplete my energy too quickly. I locate a large tree with long elegant branches and lean my body towards it. As I near, dipping lower and lower, I slow down and aim for a thick steady branch, hoping I won’t crash land and kill my virtual bird self. I’m barely able to make it, but manage to cling onto the tip of the branch at the last minute. Fortunately, it holds my weight and I quickly bounce over to the more sturdy part.

  I rest for only a few minutes before the simulation asks me to continue. This time it seems to guide me to the ground below. I make the short flight from the branch down to the grassy field. Once I’m down there, hopping around on the ground, I realize that being at such a low angle will make it difficult for me to take off. Without any breeze or gravity to help me gain momentum, my attempts fail miserably. I start to get frustrated, and as I flap my wings over and over without success, my muscles cramp up, getting weaker and weaker. Though I hate to give-up, I decide to call it quits for the day since the pain becomes unbearable. I speak to the machine, “Simulation off!” and just like that, the magical orb disappears and I’m myself once again.

  At least half of the others have already dropped out, so I don’t feel too bad. Alicia approaches me and helps me maneuver my limbs out of the simulator. My body is wobbly and I can barely hold it together.

  “Hazel, you did okay, but your body is obviously not used to this kind of exertion. You will have to work on strengthening yourself, especially your upper body… Come on, I’ll bring you to the relaxation chamber.”

  She helps me to the other room and down a small corridor. At the other side we enter the relaxation chamber through glass double doors. It looks like a high-tech spa; the room is stark, almost clinical, with white and silver pod like machines arranged around the room. Many of the shiny pods already have people in them, as soft blue lights emanate from within them. Alicia helps me over to a vacant pod and presses a button to open it. She carries me into it, placing me gingerly onto a contoured platform.


  “You’ll feel much better after an hour in here, I promise,” she says smiling down at me.

  I’m embarrassed to be so weak, but I feel better knowing that this magical machine will make all the pain go away. Alicia presses another button and the pod gently closes. I expect to feel claustrophobic, but the inside, it’s deceptively roomy. A few seconds later, a warmth covers my entire body and my uniform seems to melt off, leaving me completely naked. A soothing blue light appears, scanning me up and down. The light finally settles and surrounds my body with both warmth and coolness. My eyelids slowly drop until they’re completely shut, causing my entire being relax into an almost sleep like state. As I zone out, I feel pressure, as if some invisible force is massaging my sore muscles.

  The hour goes by quickly, and the pod slowly opens. I sit-up, expecting there to be some residual aches and pains, but I feel nothing. As I get out, already dressed in a crisp uniform, I stretch my newly healed body and leave the relaxation chamber to find my way to the balcony, where the others are hanging out and enjoying the beautiful weather. I find Louise and Akiko chatting on a bench.

  “Hey! You guys are out already?” I ask.

  Akiko sighs. “Yes, once again, I failed miserably… I think my poor bird must have died almost six times.”

  Louise rolls her eyes playfully. “She’s so dramatic! She wasn’t even the first one to bail.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll quit playing the victim,” says Akiko looking defeated.

  I look around for Samir. “Is Samir still in there?”

  Akiko nods. “Yeah, he’s a natural. His alpha is a falcon after all.”

  “Lucky him. Us land losers will probably get killed trying to fly off this mountain,” Louise says sarcastically. We laugh, but in the back of my mind, I wonder if it’s at all possible, as I peer over the edge, looking at the long drop down.

  After a few minutes, Samir finally emerges, smiling ear to ear. He’s the last man standing and his triumphant look is endearing, almost like a little boy after winning his first baseball game. Akiko gives him a big squeeze and exclaims, “Congrats big bro!”

  Though Samir is an adopted family member, I can see that they’re just as close as biological siblings. Their affection for each another makes me emotional, feeling the void in my heart when I think about Mom and Andy.

  Alicia exits the cabin behind Samir, looking pleased. “You guys did really great today, and as you can see, the birds in the group have the clear advantage. That just means the rest of you will have to work extra hard to catch up.”

  As we make our descent for lunch, the excitement and chatter about the morning’s events echoes from every direction. For some reason, I’m yearning to be by myself. So, I decide to order my lunch to go, and spend the break in my room. I head over to the sandwich counter and ask for a grilled veggie and cheese panini with some homemade potato chips. With my sandwich in tow, I make my way back to my room, eager for some solitude. The campgrounds are silent, and when I arrive, I hear my phone on the bedside table beep. I tap my inbox and see a message from Mom:

  Hazel, please don’t forget to update your dear old Mom once in a while! Just a gentle reminder.

  I text her back immediately:

  Sorry, Mom. It’s been completely overwhelming, but I’m happy, and having a good time. I’ve made some friends, too. I think you would like them a lot. Going to eat my lunch now, talk some more soon!

  I press send, and devour my food in minutes. I’m even hungrier than I anticipated, and regret not having ordered an additional sandwich and some dessert. I open my laptop and check my email. I hear the ping sound of my video chat and click on the icon. When I see Andy’s face, I’m overwhelmed with emotion, though I do my best to keep it under wraps, not wanting him to realize how homesick I really am. He’s on his laptop, sitting outside under a shady tree. I expect him to have a dark summer tan by now, but he looks pretty much the same as when I left.

  “Hey, you’re finally online!” he says cheerfully.

  “Yeah sorry, it’s been a hectic couple of days. A lot of activities, as you can imagine. How’s everything at home? Same old, same old?”

  He peers off screen for a split second, distracted by I don’t know what. “More or less… I haven’t been able to get to the beach much, as you can see. There’s a photography workshop I decided to take, so I’ve been kind of busy with that.”

  He seems kind of fidgety, like he’s nervous about something, but maybe it’s just my imagination.

  “That’s cool. I hope you do get a chance to hit the beach though. I kind of feel like I’m missing out.”

  Andy chuckles. “The beach isn’t going anywhere, Hazel. It’ll be here when you get back.”

  I catch sight of my pink cheeks on the screen and nervously reply, “I know… Maybe I’m just homesick. I guess I’m being ridiculous, huh?”

  Andy smiles with his entire face, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and the slight dimple on his cheek deepening. “Nah, you’re not. Besides, if anyone should be accused of being sentimental, I guess it would be me… It’s only been a few days and I already miss my best friend, especially her sarcasm and wit.”

  My cheeks go from a slight blush to an alarming shade of red, and for some reason I’m totally flustered.

  “Um… Well, I guess it’s because you can’t live without me!” I blurt out, wishing I could take back the words the second I utter them.

  Andy laughs it off, seemingly unfazed by my statement. I hear the door open and Louise sashays into the room, saving me from embarrassing myself further.

  “I have to go, lunch break must be almost over,” I say to a disappointed Andy.

  “Okay, but don’t be a stranger, okay?” he says as Louise rushes to the screen.

  “Who’s that?” she asks, poking her face in front of mine.

  “Bye, Andy, chat again soon!” I say quickly, pressing the “end” button.

  Louise pouts, sulking like a little girl that’s been punished. “Humph. I just wanted to say hi!”

  “Sorry, I just couldn’t risk it. Andy doesn’t know anything about what’s going on… You know, you do kind of have a big mouth.”

  Louise looks mildly offended. “I’m just verbally inclined that’s all!”

  We look at each other silently for a split second before breaking out in laughter.

  “No, but seriously, how come you didn’t tell me that Andy was so hot?” she asks teasingly.

  “He’s my best friend! I mean he’s practically my brother!” I say defensively.

  Louise rolls her eyes dramatically. “Oh puhleez! I could see you swooning from across the room!”

  “Swooning? Hardly… I’m still hungry, that’s all.”

  Louise raises an eyebrow and I give her the same look back. We start laughing in hysterics once again, and for the first time in my life, I’m grateful that I have another friend to confide in besides Andy.

  15

  When we arrive at our Mythical Creatures class, the room is filled with excitement and anticipation, not only because of the subject matter, but also because of the teacher. As we find our seats inside the auditorium, Jared is already poised at the podium, next to some sort of metallic spherical object on the floor. We settle on one of the leather sofas near the front and anxiously wait for class to begin.

  Jared still exhibits the same intimidating vibe as he did the first day, and when he coughs lightly, and clears his throat before speaking, all eyes, especially the female ones, focus on him.

  “You’re here, presumably, because you’re the cream of the crop. You’re the next batch of familiars who will be assigned to fight the good fight. But I’m here to tell you that things are changing out there… Nothing is as simple as black and white anymore. It’s imperative that we evolve and progress with the changing world. We must become more powerful, and one of the ways we can do this is to do what is unexpected.”

  He clicks a small remote towards the sphere and it hums to life, whirli
ng so fast, that it creates a momentary blur before projecting a life size 3D hologram of a dragon. There’s an audible gasp as the creature roars viciously, plumes of purple smoke trailing out of its giant nostrils. It’s easily five times larger than an elephant, and it resembles an oversized mutant iguana, but with a much fiercer presence. Its scales are thick and iridescent, glimmering the colors of the rainbow. Its wings are leathery but opaque against the light, spanning the width of almost the entire room. The dragon’s tail, which is at least twenty-five feet long, whips dangerously close to Jared’s head, though he seems unfazed by it. He glares at the dragon’s red eyes and they glare back at him like glowing, red rubies. It shrieks loudly and shoots out an ear splitting fiery roar over our heads. Although it’s only a hologram, we duck down and scream, as the seemingly scorching hot flames pass above our heads.

  Jared looks amused, sniggering at our reactions as he leans in and sticks his face right in front of the dragon’s flaming breath.

  “So, as you can see, a creature like a dragon can be very useful as an intimidation tactic, or for maximum destruction with minimal effort,” he explains coolly, pointing the remote once again. This time a white unicorn appears. Its sparkling, twisty horn juts out of its head like a long icicle. It neighs, and stands on its hind legs dramatically, the silky hair on its mane and tail cascading to the floor.

  “I’m sure you’re familiar with the unicorn, though seemingly harmless and endearing, the unicorn is actually a fierce and wild creature with the power to cure illnesses with its magical horn.”

  He clicks the remote again. “There are also mythical creatures which are closer to the human form,” he says, as a hologram of an ethereal violet hued fairy appears, “such as fairies, giants, and even mermaids, which I know some of you are already quite intimate with,” he says, staring at me intensely as he clicks the remote in his hand. I feel like the entire room follows his gaze, but I ignore them, instead focusing on the beautiful flaxen haired mermaid floating midair. Even though I try to look blasé, my face starts to feel hot as his gaze burns into me. Jared finally diverts his attention back to the hologram and I take in a deep breath of relief.