Page 43 of Dock

Percy Bysshe Shelley style.

I’m talking about the poet, not the actress that dated that Doctenn Prince.

Hogan gives the back of my palm a loving stroke, faces forward, and secures his own helmet.

Shortly after, he brings the monster of a machine to life, deafening roars reverberating around the small, quiet suburb I call home on the edge of town.

The wealthiest neighborhoods are of course the gated lake front properties and the tier right underneath them are the ones that run on the outskirts of the tourist areas.

For the rest of us?

Those that work in this water paradise for the rich and rude?

We tend to outline the perimeter of Avallone.

Act as their defense against having to ever view life beyond their mermaid mansions.

A lot of people hate it and are bitter about it and resentful, but Gam Gam never was.

No.

She taught me – heavily encouraged me – to see that there’s beauty to be seen in life from any view.

The choice in seeing it is yours.

Sometimes – okay honestly pretty often – I feel like I’m letting her down in various aspects, rarely living up to the greatness that she was.

Hell, I’m not sure I ever can be that incredible.

I’m not even sure I have the capability to try.

But I wanna try.

I’m gonna try.

Vibrations unlike any other uncontrollably shake my petite frame encouraging me to hide my face, bury it away from the wind that’s whipping, that’s lifting my low ponytail, yet I fight against the fear of the unknown and plant my head right on top of his shoulder.

Force myself to face whatever we’re doing, wherever we’re going head on.

And it’s fucking glorious.

Exhilarating.

Empowering.

Watching the world simultaneously move by in a blur and slow motion is so strange.

So peculiar.

Celestial.

Jolts of joy and officiousness tingle my fingers and toes in tandem, practically levitating me off the seat as we begin to fly down the road in what feels like complete freedom.

Unabashed, unafraid, adventure.

My heart wildly pounds in my chest, pushing me closer to Hogan, Hogan who without missing a beat pries my hand loose.

Lifts it to his lips.