• The trees parted as a large plane plummeted to the floor, it’s engines blazing and exterior shattering as It hit the floor a mere mile from a secluded building where
    Ember O’Connell sat staring negligently at the small box television of the rural motel room, her gaze inattentively following the conduit of a fly on the wall. This had been her existence for years, motel jumping, hitch hiking, shying herself away from prying eyes except when in performance. Ember was a freelance actress, dancer and musician, and a very good one at that, her skills were notorious worldwide. She had producers and agencies at her every beck and call, willing to give her whatever she wished in hope of her to make an appearance, although this was not how she wished to live. Not how she could live.
    She was gifted, beautiful and sought after in more ways than one, men attempted to follow her, to be seen with her, photographed with her and use her for their own public image.

    She peered at the rustic clock. 5:50am. She hadn’t slept again.
    Her glance shifted, fixing on the vibrating cell phone on the adjacent coffee table. “Melanie?” she questioned down the phone. “Ember! I saw you on television! You were great! The play was sold out?!” the over excited Melanie bellowed, causing Ember to hold the phone away from her ear at arms length. Melanie was her beloved sister, Embers best and only friend, the only person she trusted. Although Melanie was much younger, she also had gifts, an inspirational and well known therapist. This kind of work, of course, came easily to both the O’Connell sisters, the ability to read and analyse the minds of anyone within sight was a gift both of the girls shared.
    “Mhm” She replied drudgenously, absently watching the small black insect buzz into the light bulb. “
    “You don’t sound convinced!” questioned Melanie, tapping the back of the phone with her finger.
    “It’s not that, I’m just getting so tired of this, travelling all the time, I just want to get away from here, away from this, people tried to follow me back, Melanie, it scares me”
    “Well, they’re bound to, with a profile as high as yours, without allowing the media into your life, they’re bound to pry, think about it, a talented young woman, popping up all over the place, yet no one knows anything about her. A picture with that woman would be priceless.” Grunted Melanie.
    “I don’t care, I don’t like it, and I’m going away for a while” Ember snapped.
    “Away? Like a holiday?” Melanie enquired.
    “I don’t know, a holiday… perhaps” said Ember absently, slumping down in her chair.
    “I have to go, I’ll go next week, I’m sure Lee will arrange it all if I ask him, I’ll make sure he faxes you details, I’m not going to take my cell, be safe, Melanie” Ember closed the phone, the echo of Melanie’s rampant lecturing cutting off “What about the concert?! Where will you go?! Who with!? How lo…-”

    The door knocked twice before slowly opening. A tall man stood in the doorway. He was strikingly attractive with wind swept blonde hair and piercing blue eyes; the kind of man any –normal- woman would be ecstatic to be in the company off.
    Ember peered at him before stating, without even registering the fact that it was the first time she’d seen him that day. “Lee, I want to leave, book me a flight somewhere for next week, I don’t care where”
    “Hello to you too. This is sudden, but alright.” Lee grinned as he pronounced, shrugging before closing the door, his footsteps descending away from the room.

    Ember spent the next few days in her room, writing music and contemplating the motive for her approaching journey. Prior to this lifestyle of hers, Ember had never revelled in being away from people. She would feel forlorn and would crave the attention of the people around her. But no longer, now she hated it, delved into the choice to keep herself veiled without even deliberation for the matter… and it scared her.
    She half heartedly tossed a few ragged shirts into her suitcase, accompanying them with various shorts and skirts. She never wore full trousers; they made her feel too imprisoned.
    As she struggled with her bag, a few delinquent articles of clothing finding their way out, Lee strutted in, slapping an envelope onto the desk beside Ember’s bed. She peered at him, tilting her head to the side.
    “Romania.” He stated almost hesitantly. She merely went back to the task at hand, reluctantly pulling several summer dresses from the bag and replacing them with warmer woollen attire. She hated the cold, it always bit at her delicate skin, the deprivation of the warm sun casting against her made her down and depressed, but she shrugged off the disappointed expression on her face. Besides, it was her fault; she had said –anywhere-.
    “The taxi will be here in a minute, everything is in the envelope, flight tickets, passport, everything”
    Ember looked up at Lee. He was looking stunning as usual, leaning casually against the back wall, away from her. She sighed, Lee respected her. He knew to stay back, knew she couldn’t handle contact, the way emotions overrode her at the mere touch of another person and she liked that about him, she cared for him deeply, like a brother.
    “Thanks, Lee. Really, I appreciate it”. Lee smiled and gave her a nod; he admired her abilities, her independence and strong will power. She would be fine.

    The airport was large, full of commuters and holiday-goers alike, all busily bustling to-and-fro. Ember made her way to the ticket counter, hastily checking her bags in and walked to the departure lounge, deciding to take no notice of those around her as she absently did so. She pulled her hat down over her face to avoid being spotted during her wait for the flight, although not to much avail. Several glances were shot her way, along with several advances which were quickly shot down by warning stares from Ember. She had that way with people, everyone would want to be her, want to be –with- her, yet she was feared for reasons people subconsciously could never understand.

    A tall male wearing an expensive looking, clean-cut suit, stood across the opposite side of the lounge, he seemed not to notice her, nor the frantic whisperings and general gestures towards Ember that the other individuals appeared to be exchanging.
    Ember’s eyes diverted towards the handsome male, his casual elegance and stature were intriguing. He was stunningly handsome, otherworldly even, yet no one seemed to notice him. Even if someone were to glance his way, it almost appeared as if they looked straight through him. Yet for one short moment, his dark gaze caught her watchful stare and a deep feeling welled up inside her. For that short moment, she felt and thought nothing, nothing but his dark eyes piercing through her, leaving her breathless. She was completely taken back, the feeling consuming her… and then it was gone, he looked away and turned to watch out of the window. Her heart sank… Who was he?
    Had he not really noticed her? For reasons unknown to her, she could not shake a feeling of severe disappointment.


    Her train of thoughts were stirred as a shuffle of people lifted themselves up and made for the departure desk, she blinked and turned her head only to realise that she’d missed the first and second call for the plane. She glanced to where the handsome man once stood. He was gone. Was he ever there to begin with?
    Ember shook her head prior to dragging herself to her feet. She walked past the long line of excited people, handed her boarding pass to a bulky woman at the other side of the stand and much to the disapproving groans of the many queuing populace; she made her way through, quite happy to avoid the line. Being world famous had some perks.

    The plane was large, a proper plane. The seats seemed crammed together in the room, fitting more people than it seemed necessary into the flying tube. Ember made her way through, past a wall, through another group of chairs and up a small flight of stairs into the more lavishly equipped realm of first-class.
    No sign of the mysterious man. Had she really just made him up as an excuse to ignore everything else around her? Was her imagination –that- good?

    Of course it wasn’t... Her heart jumped as she stepped through the rows of chairs, looking for an empty one. Naturally her lateness had severely rendered her choices in seat location and the last one left was strategically placed besides that of her new interest. She really did have to thank Lee. This trip to Romania was seeming all that more promising.
    As Ember made her way to the seat, putting her bag by the floor, she automatically turned to adjust herself. At this point, the handsome man on the other side of the walkway flashed a perfect smile at her and she slumped onto the chair as gracefully as she could. It was her only choice, sit down or she’d fall down. He –had- noticed her.
    “Ember O’Connell” he stated in an irresistibly accented voice. Ember blinked, her heart sinking once again as she frowned. Another one of –those-. She should have known. She turned her head towards the man and composed herself, her words almost choking her as she tried to respond in her own generic fashion.
    “I presume you want an autograph? I’m sorry, I don’t do them” she sighed and shuffled to make herself comfortable. The handsome man tilted his head to one side and chuckled lightly. Sexy. Incredibly sexy.
    “An autograph? That wasn’t quite what I was going to ask”
    Ember blinked, slightly taken back.
    “Oh… It’s just… when most strangers say my name it’s usually for an autograph… or a photo… you don’t want a photo do you?”
    Another chuckle.
    Ember tilted her head again, his calm composition confusing her. She didn’t have this effect on men, ever.
    “… You don’t know who I am do you?” She asked, attempting to sound as casual as possible.
    “Ember O’Connell… It says so on your boarding pass” the man grinned, gesturing at the piece of card sticking out of the top of Embers bag.
    Ember’s cheeks blazed up, a deep beetroot red flushing over her fair skin. She’d been on the plane five minutes and she’d already made an idiot of herself.
    A warm sensation suddenly ebbed through her body. It was comforting, friendly.
    Then it was followed by a voice in her mind… a deep, sensual voice… his voice. “Meu Dulciuri, do not feel intimidated by me. There is no need for it.”
    Ember peered at the man, who had now turned to skim his eyes across a paper in his lap. She pretended not to hear him, turning to glance out of the window. The engines had started and the plane was making its way slowly towards the runway
    “I know you can hear me, Meu Dulciuri. Do not pretend you don’t.”
    “Who are you?” she questioned, a tinge of curiosity in her voice.
    “Storm Şerbănescu”
    Storm… Funny, she thought. Her mother had died long ago, she told her on her death bed “Never jump to conclusions in life, a storm is not always what it seems. No matter how much destruction it leaves in its path, some how, somewhere, it sparks opportunities for growth, for a new life, for the greater good” She never knew what she meant, could this be it? Had she known?

    Ember glanced at Storm.
    “You are confused, Meu Dulciuri. You do not understand the feelings you are feeling. How can you feel this strongly about someone you have just met? Your mother was correct in what she said. She was an acquaintance of my father, she knew of our connection. I have been searching for you for decades. You and I were bound in the making of time, before either of us existed our paths were entwined, set before us. You love me, Ember.”
    Ember blinked, a slight squeal escaping from her mouth, which was by this point gaping open, her jaw dropped slightly. He was right, she didn’t know how, she didn’t know why, but she loved this man. This was what she had been searching for all her life, him. Forever she had been looking for something, something to fill that empty hole in her soul, she could not fill it, she was never satisfied, but in his company everything had changed. She knew where she belonged and it was with him.
    She stood up from her seat, stepping out to make the short distance from where she sat to his seat. A jolt, and another, she was thrown back into her seat. Then there was a brief silence… Nothing. People around her stopped talking as the eerie silence took hold… the engines had stopped. That was it… the silence over, a sharp scream could be heard from further forward, this was followed by several more, panicked talk from everything around her. Ember peered out of the window; the plane was plummeting mercilessly through the clouds which gave way to the mountains below. She gasped, the mountains becoming ever nearer before glancing towards Storm who returned the glance.
    “Do not worry Meu Dulciuri , it will be okay”. It was the last thing she heard, his comforting voice. And then there was nothing. Death.








    COMMENTRY
    ---------------------



    This piece of writing required a lot of planning as I was using Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell as inspiration. The way in which Mitchell writes Cloud Atlas is that each story is linked together by a sequence of media. I took inspiration from this and twisted it in a sense that the beginning of my story is actually the end.
    There is potential for my story to take wing in a different way which is more similar to Cloud Atlas. It has the potential to lead onto other stories, for example an idea which I had whist writing was for a producer to make a film about Embers life based on a biography after her death, which would link in with her story and thus making a Russian doll style story. This could continue into other stories.

    The story itself uses devices in order to lead the reader into a false sense of security. Towards the end of the story I decided to end the story on an unsatisfactory note to leave the audience feeling a sense of shock and discontent. As well as Cloud Atlas, I also took inspiration from the series of books written by Christine Feehan for the themes and reference on the characters in my own story. I used knowledge from these books for location descriptions and language. By using hints of Romanian for pet names and casual words spoken by Storm, I have created a more personal character which links better with the country and makes the story more diverse. I also used Christine Feehan’s ‘Carpathian’ series for reference to the acts of thaumaturgy hinted by the characters in my story.

    Although there are not many linguistic devices used in my writing due to the nature of it, the spoken words in it, such as the speech of Storm does use a few subtle devices such as elisions and dialect to distinguish the ways in which different characters speck. Storm has a more old-world, florid speech and the dialect in his words show this where as Melanie is more childish and innocent and the way in which the sentences are structured when she speaks shows this, as they are longer and use less punctuation showing that she talks faster.

    As well as the obvious ideas which are present in my writing, such as that of fame and insecurity, I have also incorporated very subtle and scintilla of symbolism which is more personal and less obvious to most people. The whole idea of the story being linked together from the end being the beginning gives the idea of it being almost a dream-like state looking in hindsight at previous events. This links with the airplane crashing as many people believe that dreaming of an airplane crashing symbolises the mind being overactive and the need to slow down and think about things. It also symbolises the lack of control in ones life. This links in with Embers lifestyle and her feeling of being stuck amongst something which she can’t escape, having too much to think about at once and her need to get away from everything as well as her feeling of spiritual inanition.