High Flight

    Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
    And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
    Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
    of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
    You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
    High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
    I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
    My eager craft through footless halls of air....

    Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
    I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
    Where never lark nor even eagle flew—
    And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
    The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
    Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941

Flash Fiction Friday #28

The sheriff turned his 4×4 police truck out onto the road leading out-of-town. The rain was still falling as the afternoon light faded with evening approaching. The day had been excruciating and long. His body ached and his muscles were tired. Since receiving the call from Harlan that morning about the dead girl, the sheriff had been coordinating with the medical examiner and the detectives, and of course he had to talk to the reporters and those who just wanted to know what had happened.

He had been in law enforcement since he had come home from the war in Viet Nam. Harlan and he had gone together and come home together. Harlan returned to his family’s farm, and he joined the sheriff’s department. Perhaps it was the opportunity to continue carrying a gun that interested him. For the last 20 years, he had been the sheriff.

This crime was the worst he had ever seen in the town. For the most part the biggest trouble he had to deal with were drunk cowboys. There was the Englishman from Denbighshire that time who got belligerent and kept telling everyone to “bugger off”. But never a cold-blooded murder.

But now he was driving out to Harlan’s place to check up on him. Harlan had been through a lot the last few years, and this morning seemed to have been a severe shock to his system. He and Harlan had grown up together, and he would be remiss if he did sit with Harlan awhile.

Close.

She is close.

My heart feels her.

My brain though won’t accept it until I see her.

But her touch is near.

My body feels her fingers reaching out for me.

Her lips brushing against my lips.

Heart and mind slowing down.

My angel is coming for me.

Another Hump Day Photo Set

Here are a few pictures from my trip to North Carolina. I’m lazy, so you are getting to see the ones I took with my phone. Next week, I’ll show you the ones I took with my camera. As always, let me know what you think and tell everyone else to come take a look.

Hohenlinden

On Linden, when the sun was low,
All bloodless lay the untrodden snow,
And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.

But Linden saw another sight
When the drum beat at dead of night,
Commanding fires of death to light
The darkness of her scenery.

By torch and trumpet fast arrayed,
Each horseman drew his battle blade,
And furious every charger neighed
To join the dreadful revelry.

Then shook the hills with thunder riven,
Then rushed the steed to battle driven,
And louder than the bolts of heaven
Far flashed the red artillery.

But redder yet that light shall glow
On Linden's hills of stainèd snow,
And bloodier yet the torrent flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.

'Tis morn, but scarce yon level sun
Can pierce the war clouds, rolling dun,
Where furious Frank and fiery Hun
Shout in their sulphurous canopy.

The combat deepens. On, ye brave,
Who rush to glory, or the grave!
Wave, Munich! all thy banners wave,
And charge with all thy chivalry!

Few, few shall part where many meet!
The snow shall be their winding-sheet,
And every turf beneath their feet
Shall be a soldier's sepulchre.

by: Thomas Campbell (1777-1844)

Flash Fiction Friday #27

Picking up the story from lastweek.

---

He sat there on the edge of the bed mesmerized by the contrast of the red blood against her white skin. He felt his heart beating faster as he watched her surrender and nod her understanding to his question. He placed the edge of the blade against her side and felt himself become aroused as she tensed her naked body. He found his arousal alarming.

A flash of lightning in the window followed by a booming clap of thunder broke his trance momentarily, but he quickly continued his admiration of the naked girl.

She felt her heart pounding as if it was going to beat out of her chest. The cut was burning. The cold steel against her skin made her body tense. Why was he doing this? She wanted to ask. She felt his hand between her legs and felt her body bow up as if trying to escape his rough touch.

He watched her and said, “Don’t worry sister, I’m not licensed to hurt you unless God says it is alright.”

Softly she pleaded, “Please don’t.”

“Don’t?” he asked as he pressed the knife harder against her skin, the point making an indentation.

“Don’t?” he repeated as his body tightened, blood pounding into his head. “You are mine to do with as I please. If I want to touch you, I will. If I want to cut you I will. If I want to hit you, I will!”

Another flash and clap of thunder drove the message home.

Uniform on the Floor

Yesterday I came home from work and took off my uniform for the last time, and I guess unceremoniously dropped it all where I stood by the front door. After 24 years of wearing the uniform it all came to an end yesterday when I received my new retiree identification card and joined the ranks of retirees around here.

But wait…

I am not being completely honest here. Back in July I volunteered to return to active duty. The last four months have been rather turbulent as I went through the process of getting medically certified and approved by the review board. Finally I got the email asking me to come back this past Wednesday, however, their plan was for me to go to training for my new job this Monday. Even they realized that would be pretty impossible. But I told them I was willing to do it if they were willing to make it happen.

So, yesterday at 1:00pm, they decided they would attempt to make the paperwork happen.

Thirty minutes after I dropped my uniform on the floor, I got the phone call and the email with the orders.

So, tonight at midnight I will retire after 24 years. Then tonight at midnight, I’ll return to active duty. And tomorrow I’ll get on a plane and head out for training, and other points beyond.

Stay tuned as the adventure continues.

Flash Fiction Friday #26

Picking up the story from lastweek.

---

She watched him move around the room as he picked up items. In the distance she could here the rumble of thunder. The weatherman on the radio had said there would be thunderstorms in the valley later today. She thought to herself wondering how she had gotten into this mess. Her daddy was going to kill her when he found out. Her distant future was not looking too good as her last boyfriend would often say. She wondered where her clothes were and if he was going to untie her. She started to feel self-conscious as she lay naked on the bed.

He turned around and started towards her. Her eyes opened wide as she saw the shiny knife that he carried. “Sister, let me explain some things to you before we get going.”

He sat down beside her and he let the blade of the knife trace along her inner thigh.

The blade was cold against her skin and the sensation raised goosebumps along her skin.

“This is God’s knife. If you disappoint me, God will tell me to use it. And I tell you now, if you run, I will use it to turn you into a jigsaw puzzle that no one will ever be able to assemble.”

He put the tip of the knife against her skin above her left breast, and with a flash she felt the knife cut into her skin.

A thin blood red line appeared. “Sister, are we clear?”

She slowly nodded.

Timex says Wednesday Pictures

Well, I don’t have a Timex, I have a Casio and it says it is Wednesday, so I’ll just assume it is time for some pictures this week. If you have been following the past week you know that I am able to use my Canon camera for the first time in months instead of my iPhone. So that means more resolution as well as some other advantages.

The second picture is similar to one I have posted before, and I am curious if you can look at the picture and tell that it is kind of chilly and that the wind is blowing. Obviously, the water is choppy so that indicates some wind, but can you feel the temperature in the picture? Maybe tomorrow I will post a warm day image and a cold day image of the same subject and we’ll do a scientific experiment. For the last two, I returned to the beach again. I may be moving soon and need to get in all the beach time as I can. I’ll look for some other subject for next time.

As usual I hope you enjoy the pictures and feel free to leave me a comment and tell everyone else you know to take a look as well. Yes, I like the attention.

I’ve Been Rubber Stamped

Three months ago I started a “vacation” with no plan in place for what I would be doing in November. A little background – I am retiring from the military – but don’t want to retire. So, I applied to return to active duty. However, the process got a little messed up and where I thought I would know something two months ago, I still don’t have a final answer. I also don’t have any alternatives if my desires are blown away with the desert sands.

After submitting my application, the first step was to be medically certified for continued service. I figured this would be a piece of cake since I am already in the military, and I still fit in my uniforms, etc… Well, four months after applying, I was finally notified yesterday that I was rubber stamped as medically certified to return to active duty.

One hurdle finally overcome. The next hurdle is where three senior officers review my application and decide whether to let me back in or not. They have a week per the process. The true objective (my objective) is to have this process complete before I become a civilian on the 1st of November which would lead to a break in pay, etc…

To say the least, this process is taking a toll on my mental status. There is a possibility that on the 1st of November I’ll be unemployed and have bills to pay, and all that crap. I have submitted some resumes and such, but the thought of looking for a job is like sticking a hot poker in my eye. I have never had to look for a job since High School. I have never interviewed, and never really had to choose what I was going to do. The military would give me a few choices, or no choices – it was easy. Of course, the thought of looking for a job is further complicated because I have absolutely no idea of what I want to do if I had the option. In reality, if it weren’t for the bills I have to pay that were mostly caused by my estranged wife, I wouldn’t work at all. I have worked enough already.

So, today I breathe a little easier now that the first hurdle has finally been cleared. Hopefully the process will continue a little more smoothly and I will have the final answer I have been waiting for by next Wednesday. Otherwise – who knows.

Other than all that, not much to report on around here. The temperatures have dropped with the lows in the 40s and the highs in the 60’s. 20 degrees cooler than last week and which necessitated me finding a blanket. The dog is thanking me for not cutting his hair and he lays out on the pool deck until I carry him in at 2am. He is actually running around more and seems a lot happier. Good for him – I on the other hand is freezing.

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for Wednesday photographs – some of which were taken with my newly energized camera.