Brian's Night Flight

Brian's Night Flight

Shirley Shadbolt



From the time he was a very young boy, Brian always felt that he was different. Born on February 29th. did make his arrival into this world somewhat special. By the time he was around six years old he figured out there weren't that many leap year babies out there. However, when he found out that he could not celebrate his birthday each year on the exact same day like his friends did, he was feeling more different than special. When his twelfth birthday rolled around he was sure that he needed to find something to make him feel more special. He found that something one night when he experienced a very strange happening to him while he was sleeping.

***

He felt weightless as he rose up off his bed for the first time. Floating upward towards the ceiling his dim night light cast a shadow rising against the stark white wall of his bedroom. At first glance it startled him. Then he realized he must be dreaming. An overwhelming feeling of pleasure and peacefulness reassured him that he was okay. Below him, he saw a small body lying there on the bed. Could that be me? he thought. How could this be happening to me? Is that really me laying there? My God, it looks just like me! He felt instantly motionless. His heart began beating quickly and violently, he could feel it palpitating against his ribs. He struggled to wake himself as if instinctively trying to escape observation. Then he floated with the feeling of pleasure overcoming him again.

He rose above his bedroom to the loft where his parents were sprawled across their big queen size bed sound asleep. "Mom, Dad, help me!" he cried. Neither of them stirred. He knew then that they couldn't even hear him. He wanted so bad to crawl into the warmth of their bed and be safe from this nightmare like he had done when he was smaller, but he couldn't do it this time.

Instead, he was thrust into near blackness, soaring above the treetops. Streets were whizzing by far below him. He recognized the street where his Elementary School was at. Then he saw the flames. The school was on fire! There was no one around. His night flight took him through the thick black smoke, but he could not smell it. It didn't even choke him up.

Wake up! Wake up! he cried to himself. The next thing he knew he was back in his bed with his eyes open wide staring at the ceiling. He tried to shrug the nightmare off. After all it was only another nightmare, he thought. Tossing and turning the rest of the night he slept fitfully until daylight.

"Brian, wake up honey." his Mom was calling from the doorway. "You need to get ready for school."

"Awww... do I really have to go today Mom? I'm too tired. I don't think I slept so good last night."

"Come on, now dear, your breakfast is almost ready." his Mom said as she flashed one of her big warm morning smiles.

Then it hit him. He remembered his dream. A scary feeling came over him as he crawled out of bed and slipped into his blue jeans and sweater. Yet, the familiar smell and sound of bacon sizzling helped calm his fears. He stumbled out of his bedroom and into the hallway where he could hear the news on the T.V. blaring from the living room, but he couldn't make out what the newscaster was saying.

"Oh dear...Brian you can't go to school today...the school burned down last night!" his mother yelled from the kitchen.

Brian slid onto his seat at the breakfast nook, swallowed the lump in his throat and replied with what came out almost as a whisper:

"I know that Mom...I saw it." his mouth quivered as the words spilled out.

"How dear? How could you see it?" "You mean you saw it on the television?" she shot him a puzzled look.

"No." "I was there at the school last night watching it burn!" Brian exclaimed. His whole body trembled as he began telling her about his dream; how he floated above his body to the ceiling in his bedroom, past his sleeping parents, and above the treetops at the burning school building.

His Mom was in awe of what she was hearing her son say, but she believed him and reassured him that everything was okay. She told him that he had a special gift, that few people experience what he was able to do, and that one day he may be able to use this gift in a meaningful way to help others.

That made him feel so much better.

Brian always felt that he was different. Now, he knew that he was really special too.





Word Count: 812