Totem

There was something very earthy and mystical within my family. It had always been there; our people were from another stock. We lived away from the rest of the world but by no means were disconnected from it. We predicted things, protected things, understood and gave meaning to. People with money would come to us and ask with fear and desperation for our help. We would always help them, even if the money wasn't good. We were good people, natural people.

I was young. Ten or so and playing on the docks the last few generations made in the giant lake (or was it the ocean?) on the outskirts of society. I knew them like the back of my hand, and flew across them knowing just where to step and where to dive into the water and swim because my stride was not yet long enough. I was more free than other children of my age because of the nature of my family, and the intensity of my understanding of my family's gift. Even if they'd wanted, they would have no real power to restrain me. Nature lived inside me, and controlled my actions personally.

One day, we all felt a calling to head to the airport, though it isn't what you'd think of. It was another set of wooden docks, with ropes lashing the sticks and metal plates together. I needed to tell a Justin something. I didn't know who he was, and my parents thought I was making it up to stay in the presence of the planes longer, to marvel at their technology. They didn't understand the feeling of urgency that one touched by nature may feel. I had to find him. There was something I absolutely needed him to know. For his safety or my own, I'm not sure.

It was urgent and they didn't trust a child. I snuck away to find him and got lost, thinking to trust my instinct to bring myself back. I saved a girl a little younger than me from being hit by a plane, and knew that in my act had doomed Justin. It was all very complex. I wanted nothing more than the wind and jungle-gym climbing on my home. I wanted nothing more than normalcy, rules, order, an actual house...

I acted as any child different from those around them would.