Soars

The gray, heavy skies matched Todd’s mood as he burst through the front door to the street, standing on the porch, tears staining his face. A photo album still clutched in one hand, Todd stabbed at the play button and settled the earphones on his head. He began walking, the music of the Smiths going with him as he tried to escape his now empty apartment, his eyes red and puffy. He still thought it unreal, a sadistic joke that she’d moved out while he was at work, but the echoes, dust bunnies and the other meager remnants of his life proved otherwise. Sobbing a curse, Todd hurled the photo album of their time together, the flat reminders of yet another failure in his life, in the direction of some nearby garbage cans.
 
Todd headed down the street, heedless of his destination, just having an urge to walk. Head down against the salty gusts coming in off the water, his mechanical stride chewed up the blocks to the lighthouse. He finally came back to his surroundings when he noticed the low wooden safety fence, and heard the familiar screech of gulls above the cliff. He looked up, and watched their aerial antics, entranced by their sheer joy of life.
 
He often came here, to watch the gulls. Just seeing them take such gratification in being able to fly, their wings spread wide to catch the updrafts, hovering and floating, were enough to take him out of himself, to forget his problems. Now was no different. Todd sat and watched the gray birds wheeling and gliding, feeling the tension sliding from his body, and a smile start to sneak back onto his face. A laugh of unrestrained enjoyment escaped as he watched two gulls chasing each other in a column of air, their happiness giving thanks for their wings, taking joy in the freedom they gave. Todd envied that freedom, but was able to fly vicariously through these clown princes of the sky. Watching them, he was able to leave the problems that weighed down his life, almost able to feel himself floating through the air with them.
 
Their cries echoed around him, sounds of pure delight, that Todd could almost swear sounded like his name. He stood up in wonder, as the gulls did sound like they were calling out to him, “Todd! Todd! Fly! Fly!” It even looked like the gulls were circling around him, watching him, urging him to join them. He shook his head vigorously, knowing that was impossible, but stopped when he heard it again. Shyly, hesitantly, a new smile creased his features. Suddenly, before he could think about it and talk himself out of it, Todd ran full tilt at the barrier fence, jumping up on top of one of the short posts and using it to launch himself over the edge of the cliff, whooping in delight as he was finally freed to soar with the gulls.