Read Online The Wings of Morning by Murray Pura - Free Book Online Page A

man,” Mrs. Kurtz grumbled, watching Sarah from the pie stand. “Even a healthy strapping one.”
    “Mama,” said Lyyndaya, “he’s been flying for hours with only the time to swallow a mouthful of coffee. It’s the least we can do.”
    Her mother waved a hand in the air as if her daughter were a fly. “
Ja, ja
.”
    Ruth was cutting a raisin pie for Annie Zook. “There you are, you little drop of sunshine. Large enough?”
    Annie grinned. “So large. I will have to find someone to share it with.”
    “Sharing, yes, that is something you love to do, Annie. Try and save a bite for yourself.”
    Annie spun and danced away. “All right. But no one likes to eat alone.”
    Ruth glanced up at Lyyndaya. “So, how was your chat with Emma?”
    “Perfect.”
    “Perfect? Speaking with Emma Zook was perfect?”
    “It couldn’t have been better.”
    “What does that mean?” Ruth had her hands on her hips.
    Lyyndaya poked at a slice of rhubarb pie, licked her finger, then picked up a fork and began to eat the whole slice. “It means,” she said between mouthfuls, “that I will let Emma be Emma, and Lyyndaya will be Lyyndaya, and God can determine the outcome.”
    “Don’t talk nonsense,” muttered her mother as she set out three new pies at the approach of one of the Fisher families, with twelve children in tow.
    But Ruth would not let go of it. “Is this something Great-grandmother said?”
    “And something Emma Zook said.” She laughed and changed the subject. “This pie is so good!”
    “Come, sister,” Ruth ordered. “No more games. Out with it.”
    “Emma Zook is not half so bad a soul. And Emma Zook does not do barrel rolls.”
    Ruth thought about this and then her blue eyes smiled. Their mother busied herself at the table between them with a knife in her hand. “All the crazy talk. Emma Zook. Barrel rolls. I thank God you are done with that flying boy. Am I the only one serving the pie? Can you two not find something to do besides stand around and make wild talk?”
    Young John Zook stood quietly in front of Lyyndaya. “May I have apple?”
    Lyyndaya smoothed back his hair. “Oh, of course, Johnny.” She cut him a generous slice of apple pie. “How’s that?”
    “
Danke
.”
    “Didn’t I see you under a tree reading a book a little while ago?”
    A tiny smile came to John’s serious face. “
Ja
. About Moses and that Exodus.”
    “Are you going to go up in the aeroplane?”
    “Well—that is why I am reading about that Exodus. To get up the courage.”
    “Truly?”
    He nodded as he thrust a fork into his pie. “I read so much about brave people trusting in God, Miss Kurtz. Always I am reading about them. Today I would like to be one of them. If I could only trust God enough to go up like the others. Well, I have asked my sister Emma to hold a place for me.”
    “Do you think you would take a book up there?” teased Lyyndaya.
    He gave a small laugh. “I might if I thought reading a chapter helped me forget I was a mile high.”
    The aeroplane roared past and at a glance, Lyyndaya realized no one was in the front cockpit. Just then Sarah arrived with Peter King, who asked for his promised pie.
    “Peter!” exclaimed Lyyndaya. “Why aren’t you up with Mr. Whetstone?”
    Peter had his hands in his pockets and kicked at a stone. “He said he thought the engine didn’t sound right at five thousand feet. So he went out alone to test it.”
    “Well, isn’t that the right thing to do? Mr. Whetstone doesn’t want you to get hurt.”
    “I guess so.”
    “You didn’t lose your place in line, did you? Of course not. I’m sure Miss Zook will make sure you get on the next ride.”
    “If there is a next ride.”
    “There must be a next ride,” said John Zook. “I think it is God’s will that I go up.”
    “Well, maybe not,” grumbled Peter.
    “Stop being so impossible,” Sarah scolded Peter. “Now, look here. Isn’t this what you always go on about when you want something