The Beauty Up There

Emmanuel Codden

“Oh! Mum, it's so tiny, in the air." Ado’s mom had to look at the sky just to be sure of what he was gazing at or what was up in the sky. The more she tried, the more she was naive about what his son saw up in the sky.

“Son, I can't see what you are seeing in the sky," her mom said, as Ado was always curious about things in the air. No one knows what he was seeing except himself alone. He may see a fly even deep in the sky and still see it just as if it were still closer.

One fateful day, Ado was in the house playing around before seeing a fly. He gazed at it and started imagining himself in the air. He was so sure that one day he would fly into the sky.

It's a holiday, and his mom told him to go to his uncle's place to enjoy his holiday, which he did. He was so happy going to his uncle's house as he was going to see so many flying objects around as it's in the village, unlike the city.

He got to the village, where he was welcomed by his uncle. Immediately, he entered his uncle's room, and the first thing he saw was a book on the table titled “Secrets of Flight.” He got entangled with the book. He could not even find a way to seek permission from his uncle before reading the book. Likewise, he took it and started reading it. Not only that, but he got to a stage where he saw an image of a mat sketched with a pencil. The sketch seems real, and it was just as if he were seeing that mat right in his heart.

“Wow, this looks so beautiful and real. I think I should ask my uncle to know more about it," Ado said, but he still went on reading more about the mat. He read a part where it says, “The mat is a magic mat that can fly.” He got enticed by this part and was searching for the secrets on how to acquire this mat. “Should I just jump on any kind of mat, or is it just a special mat?” he asked himself before. He read further and saw that there were some incantations underneath the drawing. He immediately memorized the words and dropped the book when he saw his uncle enter the room.

“Son, what were you doing with this book?” His uncle asked.

“I was just going through it and found something strange," Ado responded.

“What should that be?” His uncle asked.

“Uncle, it's a magic mat that can fly when you step on it. How can the mat be got, or can it be bought in the market? He was so inquisitive, especially when it came to the aspect of flying objects.

“Son, you don't need to know much about it. It's all gone now," his uncle said.

“Uncle, is there something you are not telling me?” Ado asked.

“Yes, I was the controller of the mat, but I just let go of it," his uncle replied.

He would rather not ask any further questions, but rather go ahead and read more about it. He took the book again when his uncle had gone out. Furthermore, he started reading further. Likewise, he saw a handwritten format, which took him time to understand. It says, “Before you can get me, you must command me using the direction below.”

Ado was so curious and started reading further. He read it and understood how the mat would be obtained.

Timur Weber

He sat down after four days of reading the book and started practising what he had read jokingly. As he was following the instructions, he began to recite some incantations and go deep in thought. His mind was connected to the mat, and he immediately saw the mat beside him when he opened his eyes. He was shocked and happy at the same time. He could not wait to fly on it. Furthermore, he sat on it, and immediately after he was done with some other instructions in the book, the mat took off. Not only that, but he was initially in fear, but then, as part of the book says, “the one with the mat must not get afraid no matter what.”

This was when he summoned courage and focus. The mat took him to where he had directed it. He became on top of the world, flying on the mat.

After that day, the mat became his companion. He never let go of the mat and did not tell his uncle about it, as he always masks himself while on the mat.