whispered to them. He explained the importance of what they were going to be doing, again. When Jack tried to speak, Cannon cut him off. Again, he told them of the importance of his relationship with Colonel Roth. But then he told them something that neither one expected. He said that as soon as they had finished their training and joined Colonel Roth, he would be joining their team. He said this as if they should have expected it. However, it could not have come as a bigger surprise.
“You going to fly with us, Sarge?” Jack quickly corrected himself when Sergeant Cannon looked at him. “I mean Sergeant Cannon.”
“If everything goes well, yes. I’ll be a part of the crew also. Besides, Philip needs someone to babysit the two of you.” He grinned as he said this and looked from Em to Jack and back to Em again. “One more thing, fellas,” Sergeant Cannon said very sincerely. “Don’t worry about your buddies. They are as safe as possible in the air corps. We were established mainly for support, so we will be far from the front lines. Your friends will probably see nothing in Europe except the engines they are working on.”
Somehow, his words seemed to soothe Em and made him worry less. He was sure that he and Corby would be back in Kentucky in less than two years. The war would surely end now that the Allies were gaining ground in France. It had only been a few days, but the news reports ensured every American that progress was swift. The Allies were moving inland from the coast at will. The Germans were retreating. Hardly any resistance was met once the Germans had seen the size of the Allied army. The Germans were running just like the president said they would. It would surely just be a matter of time before the Allies marched all the way to Berlin. Em only hoped everything he heard was true.
With these thoughts in his head, Em looked to Corby as he loaded the last bag into the jeep. Corby smiled as usual as he walked back toward them. Em wondered how long it would be before he saw that face again.
As he climbed into the front seat of the jeep, he held his hand out. Corby took it. He held on to his hand firmly as he shook it. Before he let go, he pulled Em out of his seat and hugged him. He whispered, “Thank you, buddy, for everything you’ve done. Don’t worry about me. You’ll never be rid of me. You and Irene will have to put up with me until we’re all old and gray.” Then he shoved Em forcefully back into his seat and turned and walked toward the barracks door. When he reached the door, he opened it and disappeared inside. Em watched the door close as the jeep started to roll.
*****
The roar of the engines as the plane accelerated somehow did not seem as loud as when the hatch was open. The acceleration caused the two airmen to lean forward, away from their seats. Em had never been on a plane before, but he had expected to be facing forward. He looked up at the hulking mounds of equipment. He was almost as frightened of the machinery falling as he was of flying. He wondered how all that weight stayed so still. No matter the size of the piles, they stayed as still as a monument. Absolutely nothing moved inside the plane, except for the four airmen. Em became a little more impressed with the abilities of the crew. His confidence in them grew.
The engines became a little louder as the plane accelerated even faster. Then Em felt the wheels as they left the ground. The sensation was unlike anything he had felt before. It was somewhat like riding Sugar back home. Whenever she was running with the wind, he felt as if he were flying. He felt his stomach. It felt as if it was ascending away from his body. Then he felt it return and realized they were above the ground. He was flying! He felt the sensation continuously. He knew that he was actually soaring above the earth. He looked down and saw the straps that tied him to the floor of this giant warehouse with wings. The feeling was sensational. He knew, then and there, that he would never get enough of this feeling.
He finally regained all his senses and looked over at his friend. Jack was already getting comfortable. His legs were extended in front of him. He rested his head on his interlocking arms. Just the hint of a smile remained on his face. Em started to say something but suddenly changed his mind. Instead, he emulated his friend and tried to relax. As unlikely as he assumed it would be, he became amazingly comfortable.
As he closed his eyes, he became aware of the flying sensation again. He imagined what it would be like to spread his own wings and fly. He imagined he was soaring over his family’s farm. He could see both of their barns on the north ridge with several of the cattle gathered near them. He saw the ponds, which his grandfather and great uncles had dug with shovels.
As he soared higher and higher, he looked toward his parents’ home. There in the backyard was his mother. She had a basket of laundry resting on her hip. She was hanging clothes on the line. His father was in the garden with a hoe. The weeds were visible, even from his lofty height. He spread his wings and soared up and up. He turned once again and raced toward the small ridge that ended at the northeast corner of the farm. The end of the ridge was visible in the sunlight. He dove toward the edge of the hill where he wanted to build his own home. He accelerated toward the end of the hill, diving low to the ground. The ground approached at an alarming speed. He went even faster, and as he flew over the crest of the hill, he was once again at least two hundred feet above the ground. The hill was steep. As he flew over the edge, it was as if he had just flown off a cliff. He looked down at the creek that ran through the farm. There, where the water pooled, stood Sugar. Her shimmering brown coat reflected the sun’s light. She was alone, and Em dove toward her. He skimmed the treetops as he approached her. The feeling was magnificent.
He looked back up to the top of the hill, and there, standing alone, silhouetted by the sun, was Irene. She was dressed as always in the white dress. He flapped his wings that were now part of him. He began to ascend the hill. Her beauty grew with each flap of his wings. He kept getting closer, but somehow, he could not quite reach her. He could see her as if he was mere feet from her, but she never saw him. She was looking toward the sun, toward the west.
He wondered if she was really there. He wondered if he was really there. He looked at her again and saw her eyes. She was crying. He wanted, more than anything, to tell her he loved her and that he would be home soon. He wanted to reassure her everything was going to be all right. Somehow, he knew that he would not be able to. He felt his wings lift him into the air. He looked back down and saw Irene. In the distance, he heard the sound of the plane’s engine as he fell into a dreamless sleep.
As soon as he awoke, he could not imagine ever sleeping while that roar was in his ears. As he opened his eyes, it was overwhelming. The noise seemed as if it were even louder. He felt his ears to be sure the plugs were still in place. As he squeezed one of them, to be sure it was doing its job, he instantly became aware that indeed it was functioning properly. The roar he heard when he wiggled the earplug assured him that removing them was not an option. He looked at his feet and realized that he could not feel them. Simultaneously, his feet started to tingle. This reminded him of just how exhausted he had been. How long had he been asleep? Were they near Alaska yet? As he stretched his arms, the feeling returned to his feet.
He scanned the interior of the plane once again. If it were not for noise and the vibration, it really felt as if he was in some sort of warehouse. The mountainous piles of machinery looked as if they did not belong on the inside of an airplane. Em wondered if all this stuff was going to Hawaii or if it was for the troops who were in Alaska. He could not imagine using these jeeps in Alaska. The jeeps were surely going to the troops in the Pacific realm.
He looked at Jack, who was sound asleep and snoring. Em could not really hear the actual snores, but each breath that Jack took made his lips vibrate.
Suddenly, the plane lurched. It seemed as if they were falling out of the sky. Jack awoke, startled. He grabbed the metal bar that held their seats to the floor. His eyes were wide with what could only be fear. He screamed, “What’s going on?”
Em could only shrug his shoulders. He assumed the look on his face matched the horrified look on Jack’s face.
