Jump

The pilot carefully landed his gyrocopter on the little, stubby crop of land that Ellis called her home, a small circle of dirt in an endless vista of rolling clouds. It's been five years since the gigaton earthquake that leveled most of the mountain. He was sent up to analyze the extent of the damage. He did not expect to find a girl.

"Welcome to Casa de Ellis, Whirlybird," The young woman waved at the pilot while leaning against the lone dead tree on the island in the sky, her feet still half a meter above the ground. "Man, I am so hype! I haven't had guests in...ever, really."

"So yeah, this is where I store any cool stuff I find floating around in the clouds." She stuck her hand into a hole in the tree, rummaging around until she found a yellow book. "Check it, Nancy Drew! I've found, like, ten of these over the past five years. You're probably a Hardy Boys dude though, aren't you? Hang on, I think I have one or two..."

"Do you mind if I ask a question?" said the pilot, stopping her before she delved back into her treasure nook. "How...how are you floating up here?"

"When the earth fell away, some panicked. Some clung to whatever was closest. Me?" She walked off the edge of the island, walking above a 3 mile drop to the ground with the utmost ease. "I jumped. And I guess I never came back down."