Golden light made a young woman's midnight blue hair sparkle like a dark sapphire. Unblinking amber eyes watched as the day's sun faded into blackness. A range of reds, oranges and dark yellows swirled and reflected off the clouds like an artists paint pallet. Wind whipped her hair into an untameable mess, flowing down her neck to her shoulders. Shielding her eyes she glanced backwards to the massive old carrier airship, it looked like it was going to fall apart. Paint was peeling off its engines, the large metal plates where in desperate need of repair, but in an strange way, with the sunlight bouncing off the steel it still managed to captivate her. Turning back to the amazing sunset the woman was once again lost in her thoughts.
"Piper, what's up?" a voice flitted across the wind.
"Nothing," she recognised the voice of her best friend immediately, there was a pause, he knew what was up. "Fine! I feel so stupid."
"You're not stupid," his voice was laced with amusement. "Just gullible. To a liar and his books." Her eyebrows raised and he cocked his head to the side to look at her. Emerald green eyes seemed to be searching her face; the result was the handsome features pulled into a frown. "Something's wrong." He came and squatted down to her level, placing both hands on her shoulders, so she had to lock eyes with him. It seemed for an eternity that the couple stared into each other's eyes. "Jump."
"What?" her voice was laced with surprise, are you crazy?
"Jump. With me. I won't let anything happen to you…"
Suddenly there was no longer the soft ground of the Terra beneath her. A startled scream escaped her mouth as they plummeted towards the wastelands, the fiery earth rushing towards them with incredible speed. Her eyes started to water furiously and she shut them tight. Phwom! there was the sound of old metal and she found herself floating in mid air, stomach left somewhere down below. Chuckling laughter met her ears as they skimmed along the clouds.
"Aerrow when we get back up there I will kill you!" she wriggled in his arms, which were tight around her waist, managing to kick his shin.
"Ouch!" he complained as bone met bone.
"Stop being such a baby," she smiled as she looked back down into the wastelands. Smoke, ash and dust creating small toxic clouds. Together they started to ascend into the heavens, looking up Piper felt like she could pull one of the glittering gems out of the satin sky. Gently Aerrow brought them both back down to land on solid ground, wings folding back onto his back.
"Remember this," he raised his hand vaguely pointing towards the shining stars. "They might not be here for long,"
"Yeah," she rested her head on his chest, listening to the thump-thump of his heart…
"OI guys! Grubs up!"
"FOOD!" a stocky young boy about ten shot across following the smell of food.
"Mummy what were you thinking about?" his twin buried her face into her mothers leg.
"Daddy,"
"Up there," the girl pointed up to the gems in the sky.
"Yes, he is," two tracks of sliver salt travelled down her dark face.
"Remember this, they might not be here for long," Angle quoted.
Piper rested a hand on her daughters mauve hair, "We will remember them." Angle heard her brothers shout, and ran over to the picnic table, and Piper looked up to the heaven's, one star shining brighter than the others. "I will remember you," she whispered, voice captured by the wind.