Breeze Corinth (Book 1): Sky Shatter Read Online Free

watching him. They will escort him safely to me across the Bad Lands. I hope all is well with you.”
    Jacob let the disc slip and fall onto the floor. He turned off the light on his nightstand and laid down.
    He turned to look out the window. The night sky was filled with bright stars that shined like jewels. He could only imagine if his wife was among them. And his son.
    He closed his eyes and prayed for a restful night without any dreams. Dreams were something he had his fill of.
    Breeze stumbled down the dusty path that led to the shed. He saw the door was open, and found it to be odd, considering his father was pretty good at making sure it was closed and the lights turned off every night. He stepped inside and headed to the back where the overhead lights were still on. As he approached the work bench he saw his jet pack sitting atop it. He touched the exhaust cones and realized his father was right. Even if he did fly that afternoon, what would people say as to why there was no exhaust or noise? He didn’t think that far ahead. Then again, he never did. He picked up the jet pack and placed it back into the locker.
    He stepped toward a counter that lined the back wall with a row of cabinets that hung above it. He opened one and grabbed a can, pulling back the plastic lid and removing a stack of old photos containing memories of a past long gone. He flipped through them one by one. Mom. Dad. Himself as a baby. All those photos had one thing in common. They were all smiling.
    He carefully put them back into the can and pressed the plastic lid to seal it, then returned it to the cabinet.
    He knew there was only one thing he really wanted to do right now.
    He stepped out into the desert night and walked down a well-worn path, passing row after row of old and broken down aerocraft. He wondered if they would ever take to the sky again.
    He looked up at the star filled night and smiled. It was going to be a good night for flying.
    He arrived at a clearing. He turned to look back at the shed in the distance and saw the glow of light spilling out from it. He would use it like a beacon to guide himself back home.
    He took several deep breaths. The cold air filled his lungs, and it felt refreshing. He closed his eyes and slowly stretched out his arms like wings. He felt a gust of wind blow across his face as a feeling of weightless overcame him.
    He opened his eyes and shouted with delight. He looked down and saw the ground far below. In the distance, he could see his home, the shed, and the foundry. Behind the foundry were trucks and scrap carriers parked in the lot. All looked like toys sitting on a giant-sized play set. He leaned forward and glided over the terrain.
    He learned how to fly on his own. Flying was something he could do ever since he was a child.
    He didn’t know how or where the gift came from. He would often play in his room by himself and hover a few inches off the ground and never think much of it. To him it was normal as breathing or walking.
    One day his mother stepped in to check on him and dropped a basket of laundry with a loud gasp. He could still remember looking at her with a smile. She smiled back with tears of joy in her eyes as her hands went to her chest.
    “Darling, I’m so proud of you. You are a natural. But I need you to settle down before your father comes home.”
    “Why mommy?” he said in an innocent voice.
    “Daddy may not be ready to see this. Let’s keep this a secret just between you and me. Our little secret. One day we will surprise Daddy with it. Oh, he will be so pleased.” She clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. He could never forget her smile.
    Lost in his memories, he didn’t realize how fast he was traveling as the landscape beneath him began to blur. The cool air blowing across his face put him at ease as he reminisced about happier times that were long gone and replaced with sadness. His mother had left, and she wasn’t coming back.
    She always encouraged